Category: External Sports (Page 468 of 821)

      Pac-12 divisions announced – California schools will split

      October 21, 2010 /
      California captains' Chris Guarnero, Cameron Jordan, Mike Mohamed and Kevin Riley and USC captains watch referee Jack Folliard tosses a coin before the game against USC at LA Memorial Coliseum in Los Angeles, California. USC defeated California, 48-14. Photo via Newscom

      When the Pac-10 officially becomes the Pac-12 next year the conference will have two divisions and the California schools will be split.

      UCLA, USC, Arizona, Arizona State and newcomers Utah and Colorado will be in one division, while Stanford, Cal, Oregon, Oregon State, Washington and Washington State will be in the other.

      The conference needed the split in order to generate a “lucrative” title game in December, but it won’t make some traditionalists happy. Cal and USC have played every year since 1929, while Cal has played UCLA each season since 1933. Stanford has also played UCLA and USC every year since 1946.

      Count USC athletic director Pat Haden as someone who doesn’t like how the new divisions are structured.

      “I told [the rest of the athletic directors] my alumni will kill me if we don’t play the Northern California schools,” Haden said a week ago when word of the alignment leaked out.

      “I proposed a 5-2-2 model that has us playing the five schools [in our division] every year and then have the Northern California schools as part of our regular two and then rotate the other two. We need to play Stanford and Cal.”

      Haden’s proposal is pretty sound and it would satisfy those who were opposed to expansion because it’ll keep with the tradition that the conference has maintained over the past however many decades.

      College Football, External Sports

      JaMarcus Russell is still clueless

      October 21, 2010 /
      OAKLAND, CA - JANUARY 03: JaMarcus Russell #2 of the Oakland Raiders walks off the field against the Baltimore Ravens during an NFL game at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on January 3, 2010 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Jed Jacobsohn/Getty Images)

      Former No. 1 overall pick JaMarcus Russell recently appeared on Showtime’s Inside the NFL and admitted that he made some mistakes that led to the Raiders’ releasing him last May.

      Of course, he doesn’t know what those mistakes were, but he’s taking full responsibility for them.

      From USA Today:

      “Now looking back on it, I could have went about certain things different,” Russell said.

      What specifically did he do wrong?

      “I am not sure,” Russell told Showtime interviewer Josina Anderson. “I don’t know where they went wrong. But the things that did go wrong I take full blame for whatever was my fault, and the things that did happen. Being drafted No. 1 there are so much that they want you to do at a snap of a finger. It didn’t happen that way which brings us to today.”

      That doesn’t sound like a guy who knows he messed up and is now taking the appropriate steps to ensure he doesn’t make the same mistakes twice. This sounds like someone who is trying to tell everyone what he thinks they want to hear in order to get what he wants (i.e. another chance at the NFL). Just based on his statement above, it seems like Russell doesn’t have the faintest idea how he got to the position he is today.

      Here’s the real kicker:

      The former LSU product told Fox he knows “for a fact” that he will return to the NFL. “I can’t say when, but until it happens I am going to stay here in Houston and continue to work out each and every day no matter how long it takes,” he said.

      Russell told Showtime he will not consider playing in the UFL and brushed off a question about whether he would consider playing a position other than QB.

      “I am not going to speak on that,” he said. “I am a quarterback.”

      He knows he screwed up and that teams want nothing to do with him because they know he’s a malcontent, yet he basically says he’s above playing for the UFL and switching positions.

      Good luck, JaMarcus. You’re going to need it.

      External Sports, NFL

      2010 NFL Week 7 Odds

      October 21, 2010 /
      Minnesota Vikings' quarterback Brett Favre (L) celebrates with receiver Randy Moss after Moss caught a touchdown from Favre in the second half of their NFL football game in East Rutherford, New Jersey, October 11, 2010. The touchdown pass was the 500th of Favre's career. REUTERS/Mike Segar (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL IMAGES OF THE DAY)

      Eagles (4-2) @ Titans (4-2), 1:00PM ET
      One of these four-win teams will have the opportunity to make a statement with a victory this Sunday. Both teams are playoff contenders in their respective conferences, but both also have unanswered questions at the moment. Will Michael Vick regain his starting duties once he’s healthy again or will a hot Kevin Kolb retain the job? Can the Titans play with consistency? Is Vince Young’s knee fine after he was twisted like a pretzel in Monday night’s win over Jacksonville? Whichever team wins this game will look under-the-radar dangerous at 5-2.
      CURRENT ODDS: TITANS -3

      Steelers (4-1) @ Dolphins (3-2), 1:00PM ET
      Big Ben shook off the rust in the first half last Sunday and wound up throwing for three touchdowns against the Browns in his return to the field. He’ll get a stiffer challenge this weekend in Miami against a Dolphin defense that has flustered quarterbacks at times this season. It’ll be interesting to see if Pittsburgh starts to slowly reduce Rashard Mendenhall’s carries seeing as how he’s on pace for 370-plus. This game will also be a great challenge for Chad Henne, who must be more consistent if the Dolphins are going to push for a playoff spot this year. What better way to prove yourself then against the best defense in the league?
      CURRENT ODDS: STEELERS –3

      Vikings (2-3) @ Packers (3-3), 8:20PM ET
      This is an enormous game for the Packers. The Vikings are on the verge of getting back into the NFC North race and you know Lord Favre would love to make a statement in Green Bay. The Pack are incredibly banged up, but there’s no sense using injuries as a crutch anymore. The players that are in there now have to step up and beat a divisional foe that is looking to get on a run. The Packers certainly have the tools in the secondary to slow Randy Moss and Percy Harvin, but the front seven needs to control Adrian Peterson or else they’ll create passing windows for Favre. If the Packers lose and drop to 3-4, their season may continue to spiral downward. They need to make a statement.
      CURRENT ODDS: PACKERS –2.5

      Giants (4-2) @ Cowboys (1-4), 8:30PM ET, Monday
      We’ll find out quickly what kind of stones the Cowboys have when they take on a surging G-Men team on Monday Night Football. This is a Dallas team that has beaten itself in every game outside of their win against the Texans in Houston. If they can’t cut down on the mental mistakes and penalties, then they’ll continue to unravel. On the other side, the Giants obviously want to keep pace with the Eagles in the NFC East, but more importantly they need to beat a divisional opponent on the road. Teams usually don’t make the playoffs when they can’t win within their division, so this is another big test for New York. The last time they went on the road to play on national television, the Colts embarrassed them in Week 2. They can all but erase that loss with a win in Big D.
      CURRENT ODDS: COWBOYS -3

      2010 NFL Week 7 Point Spreads & Over/Under Totals:

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, NFL

      Charlie Manuel’s handling of the pitching staff in Game 4 backfires

      October 21, 2010 /
      Philadelphia Phillies manager Charlie Manuel watches his team play the Cincinnati Reds in Game 3 of the MLB National League Division Series baseball playoffs in Cincinnati, Ohio, October 10, 2010. REUTERS/John Sommers II (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      There were a plenty of Philly faith that wanted to see Roy Halladay take the mound in Game 4 of the NLCS, despite the fact that he would have been pitching on short rest. Instead, manager Charlie Manuel decided to hand the ball to Joe Blanton, who hadn’t started a game in over a month.

      But even though the Giants beat the Phillies 6-5 in Game 4, the decision to start Blanton wasn’t Manuel’s costliest mistake on Wednesday night.

      He’s no Halladay, Oswalt or Hamels, but Blanton is a fine starting pitcher who happens to have postseason experience. He’s not going to throw a perfect game, a no-hitter or even a shutout. But he’s more than serviceable and if you take a step back, you can understand Manuel’s thought process.

      If Blanton limits the Giants to only a couple of runs..the offense eventually gets to rookie Madison Bumgarner…Phillies steal a win and then have Halladay, Oswalt and Hamels pitch on regular rest…everyone Wang Chung tonight.

      And that’s exactly what happened. Sort of.

      Continue reading »

      External Sports, MLB

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