Category: External Sports (Page 351 of 821)

      Fiesta Bowl Preview: Connecticut vs. Oklahoma

      December 29, 2010 /

      2011 BCS Bowl Previews: BCS National Championship | Fiesta Bowl | Rose Bowl | Orange Bowl | Sugar Bowl

      Date: Saturday, January 1 2011
      Time: 8:30PM ET
      TV: ESPN

      Why Watch: Because it’s Bob Stoops and Oklahoma – anything could happen. This is definitely the biggest mismatch of the five BCS bowl games, but Stoops has a five-game losing streak in BCS bowl games, which includes the Sooners’ shocking loss to Boise State in the 2007 Fiesta Bowl. The Huskies are also sixth in the nation in kickoff returns and Oklahoma has allowed three kickoff returns for touchdowns this season, including one in each of their losses. UCONN running back Jordan Todman finished second in the nation in rushing, averaging 143 yards per game. Considering Oklahoma allowed 151 rushing yards per contest in the regular season, maybe the Huskies can play keep away from Landry Jones and the Sooner offense. Just when everyone thinks a blowout is inevitable, the opposite happens so don’t give up on this one.

      Game Facts: This will be the Huskies’ fourth-straight bowl appearance under head coach Randy Edsall. They pulled off an upset against South Carolina in last season’s PapaJohns.com Bowl in which they held the Gamecocks to only a touchdown in a 20-7 win. That victory improved UCONN’s all-time bowl record to 3-1. The Sooners are 25-17-1 all-time in bowls, but have lost in their last three appearances in the Fiesta Bowl. They’re also 5-6 overall in bowls under Stoops, who has his team playing in a BCS Bowl for the eighth time in 12 seasons.

      Key Player: Zach Frazer, Connecticut
      If Connecticut has any chance at pulling off an upset, Frazer better play at another level. None of this “playing within himself” or “not making mistakes” nonsense – he’s going to have to play the best game of his life. Oklahoma is going to stack the box to take away Jordan Todman, which is exactly what a defense should do against a starting quarterback who has a 102.1 rating and has thrown for only five touchdowns all season. He needs to prove that Oklahoma even needs to use defensive backs in this game. Otherwise, we’re in for the snoozer that we all expect.

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      College Football, External Sports

      Top 5 Biggest Pro Bowl Snubs

      December 29, 2010 /

      If you’re looking for cliff notes on the 2011 Pro Bowl rosters, here they are:

      – Michael Vick will start opposite Tom Brady assuming both quarterbacks aren’t playing each other in the Super Bowl the following week.

      – The Falcons have the most representatives at seven.

      – The Patriots had six representatives, while the Eagles, Ravens, Packers and Cowboys had five apiece.

      – Four rookies will be making the trip to Honolulu, including Lions’ behemoth Ndamukong Suh.

      – Altogether, there were seven first-timers on the NFC squad and 14 for the AFC.

      – The Bills, Bengals, Seahawks and Bucs were the only teams not represented. I think it’s telling that Seattle could win the NFC West and not have a single player go to the Pro Bowl.

      To view complete rosters for both conferences, click here. If you’re looking to spice things up a little on your Wednesday morning, proceed below.

      Top 5 Biggest Pro Bowl Snubs:

      1. Tamba Hali, Chiefs, OLB
      There’s an argument to be made that Hali deserves consideration for Defensive Player of the Year. So the fact that he was left off the Pro Bowl roster is saying something. He has 12 sacks this season and is a big reason why the Chiefs will be playing behind this week. The problem is that if you put Hali on the roster, whom are you going to take off? Cameron Wake leads the league in sacks and while Hali has one more QB-takedown than Harrison and Suggs, both of those players have more tackles. Harrison is more of a complete player than Hali and Suggs has 18 more tackles. Hali deserves to be on the roster but that doesn’t mean that Wake, Harrison and Suggs don’t.

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      External Sports, NFL

      Favre to be disciplined in Sterger case?

      December 29, 2010 /

      According to ESPN’s Adam Schefter, a decision on the Jenn Sterger case involving Brett Favre is expected to come in the next 48 hours. And per the report, Favre will be disciplined.

      The league has been investigating allegations that Favre sent inappropriate photos and phone messages to Sterger in 2008, when he was the quarterback for the New York Jets and she was a game hostess for the team.

      Sterger’s manager, Phil Reese, has said his client would like the league to “implement a program” to prevent unwanted advances similar to those she is alleging Favre made.

      Reese said Sterger wants the league to discipline Favre before his career ends. “It’s not a money story,” Reese said, adding his client’s goal is some acknowledgment that Favre was in the wrong.

      Unless they fine him an inordinate amount of money, this won’t be a very big win for Sterger. The Vikings were knocked out of the playoffs weeks ago and he’s not expected to play in their season finale this Sunday. So what’s the worst that can happen to him? He gets suspended for a game he wasn’t going to suit up for anyway?

      That said, there will be some embarrassment that comes along with any punishment that Favre receives. This could very well be his last season in the NFL and he’s going to go out severing a fine for sending inappropriate text messages to a sideline reporter. Talk about your anti-victory lap.

      Of course, as always with Favre, there’s never a guarantee that he’ll walk away.

      Update: Favre has been fined $50,000 for his lack of cooperation during the NFL’s investigation into his relationship with Sterger. Seeing as how he made $16 million this season, I don’t he’ll lose sleep over the one percent he lost with his fee. He won’t be suspended, as the league decided that he didn’t violate any rules.

      External Sports, NFL

      Uh-oh: Michael Vick seen limping following loss to Vikings

      December 29, 2010 /

      As if we needed further proof that nobody knows what they’re talking about when it comes to the NFL, the Vikings go on the road and beat the Eagles on Tuesday night.

      This was the same Minnesota team that looked hapless, helpless and completely unmotivated against the Bears on Monday night just one week ago. They flat out gave up in that game as soon as Brett Favre left in the second quarter with a concussion. But give them credit, they came out ready to play on Tuesday in Philly.

      Michael Vick completed 25-of-43 passes for 263 yards with one touchdown and one interception. He also added eight rushes for 63 yards and another touchdown in the Eagles’ 24-14 loss.

      But the story isn’t in his numbers. The story is how the Vikings brought the heat early and often and battered Vick throughout the night. It was the worst physical beating that Vick took all season, as he struggled to read Minnesota’s blitzes and took unnecessary hits. He lost two fumbles throughout the game and could have been picked off several more times if Viking defenders knew how to catch.

      The worst part is that Vick was scene limping in the locker room due to a quad contusion that he suffered on the first play of the game. With the Eagles now locked into the No. 3 seed in the NFC, there’s no reason for Andy Reid to play Vick against the Cowboys this Sunday. He’ll need all the rest he can get with either the Packers, Giants or Bucs coming to town next weekend.

      The biggest benefactors of Minnesota’s win were ironically their division rivals the Bears, who are now guaranteed a first round bye.

      External Sports, NFL

      Nick Diaz signs new deal with Strikeforce

      December 29, 2010 /

      Jeremy Botter of HeavyMMA.com reports that Nick Diaz has signed a new multi-year deal with Strikeforce.

      Strikeforce welterweight champion Nick Diaz won’t be testing the free agency waters after all.

      Strikeforce officials today announced that the controversial California-based fighter has signed a new multi-year agreement with the promotion.

      “I’m looking forward to continuing my career with Strikeforce,” Diaz said.

      Diaz is currently riding an eight-fight win streak that includes victories over K.J. Noons, Scott Smith, Marius Zaromskis and Hayato “Mach” Sakurai. He is scheduled to defend his title against Evangelista “Cyborg” Santos in the main event of Strikeforce’s Showtime-televised event on Jan. 29.

      Diaz says he likes the competition currently available to him in the Strikeforce welterweight division.

      “When I first got here, there weren’t a lot of great 170-pound fighters for me to fight, but that’s definitely changed,” Diaz said. “There’s a lot of really good fighters in the division now, and I’m ready to fight anyone who thinks they can beat me.”

      Read more MMA headlines.

      External Sports, Mixed Martial Arts, UFC, WEC

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