Category: External Sports (Page 480 of 821)

      Michael Vick won’t face Falcons on Sunday

      October 15, 2010 /
      PHILADELPHIA - OCTOBER 03: Michael Vick of the Philadelphia Eagles runs the ball against the Washington Redskins on October 3, 2010 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)

      Although he would probably love to suit up and face his former team, Michael Vick won’t start against the Falcons on Sunday. Kevin Kolb will once again take his place when Philly hosts Atlanta at 1:00PM ET.

      Vick (ribs) is progressing and head coach Andy Reid is encouraged by his quarterback’s developments, but Sunday is too soon for Vick to return. That said, with another full week of recovery and practice (Vick has started to throw again), there’s a good chance he’ll return next week in Tennessee.

      It’s too bad that Vick won’t play this Sunday because it would have made for compelling drama. While the Falcons certainly aren’t complaining about their current situation, people seem to have forgotten that Vick almost single-handedly buried that franchise in 2007.

      Thanks to GM Thomas Dimitroff, head coach Mike Smith, quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner, Atlanta has fully recovered from the Vick era. But I almost fell off my couch when I saw a crowded Georgia Dome cheer for Vick in the Eagles’ 34-7 blowout win last year. This a-hole was dragged off to jail for fighting dogs and then admitted that he didn’t work hard when he was in Atlanta. Then he helped the Eagles beat a depleted Falcons team (Ryan and Turner were both out due to injuries) in their own home and I swear you would have thought Vick cured cancer with the way the fans were rooting for him.

      Something tells me the scene would have been different in Philadelphia had the situation been reversed. Eagle fans wouldn’t have allowed him to get on the team bus after the game without giving him the beating of a lifetime.

      But I digress. Even with Vick out, this should be a great game between two NFC teams that will no doubt be fighting for playoff berths this season.

      External Sports, NFL

      Antwan Odom’s lawyer blames PED suspension on wife

      October 15, 2010 /
      CINCINNATI, OH - OCTOBER 18: Defensive end Antwan Odem #98 of the Cincinnati Bengals is taken off the field on a cart after an injury against the Houston Texans at Paul Brown Stadium on October 18, 2009 in Cincinnati, Ohio. (Photo by Scott Boehm/Getty Images)

      Listen to the crock that is coming out of Antwan’s Odom’s lawyer after the NFL suspended the defensive end for four games after he violated the league’s policy on performance-enhancing drugs.

      From ESPN.com:

      “Antwan did not take a steroid or any other performance enhancing substance,” Cornwell said in a statement. “While driving after midnight from Alabama to Cincinnati to report to training camp, Antwan’s wife mistakenly opened her prescription pill bottle instead of Antwan’s and gave him one of her prescription weight-loss pills instead of Antwan’s medicine. Naturally, Antwan’s preseason urine test was positive for his wife’s medicine.”

      Are you serious? This is the best that Odom and his lawyer could come up with? His wife accidentally gave him one of her prescription weight loss pills instead of his medicine? Come on.

      I could only imagine how that conversation must have gone between Odom and his wife.

      “Sit down, honey. Listen, I tested positive today for PEDs.”

      “Oh no, Antwan – what’s going to happen?”

      “Well, I’m going to get suspended four games, but I’m going to appeal the test and maybe I can avoid a suspension.”

      “Well that’s good!”

      “Yeah, that is good – real good. But I’m going to need you to take the fall here.”

      “What?”

      “Yeah, I’m going to need you to tell everyone that you accidentally gave me some weight loss pills that were yours. My lawyer and I even figured out a date and a time when you could have done this.”

      “Are you crazy?”

      “Crazy in love…with you. And if you’re crazy in love with me, you’ll do this one little thing.”

      “You and your lawyer are both idiots.”

      “No doubt. You in?”

      Although hey, maybe the story is true.

      External Sports, NFL

      Yankees announcer Michael Kay accuses Cliff Lee of cheating

      October 15, 2010 /
      Texas Rangers starting pitcher Cliff Lee throws against the New York Yankees in the first inning of their MLB American League baseball game in Arlington, Texas August 11, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Stone (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL)

      With the Yankees set to take on the Rangers in Game 1 of the ALCS in a matter of hours, it stands to reason that they should be mentally focused and prepared for their mission ahead.

      So it only makes sense for one of their TV announcers to open his mouth and accuse their opponent’s ace of cheating.

      From the New York Daily News:

      The lead singer of the chorus, the loudest yodeler, is Michael Kay, the television voice of the Yankees who also hosts a show on ESPN-1050. Kay’s association with the Bombers brings added significance to the controversy.

      Kay insists the combination of resin on Lee’s hat and the pitcher’s sweat produces a “tackiness,” making it easier to grip the ball. “I would think that’s illegal,” Kay said on 1050 Wednesday. “If I’m Joe Girardi, I’m telling the umpires he (Lee) has got to wear another hat.”

      “I would think that’s illegal.” What Kay meant to say is he thinks Lee is cheating.

      This is pretty smart on Kay’s part, as he’s probably managed to piss off the Rangers and distract the Yankees all in one fell swoop. His comments also won’t do New York’s front office any favors when they try to woo Lee this winter when the pitcher becomes a free agent.

      Well done, Mikey.

      External Sports, MLB

      2010 NFL Week 6 Predictions

      October 15, 2010 /
      Chicago Bears defensive end Julius Peppers sits on the bench during the third quarter of a preseason game against the Arizona Cardinals at Soldier Field in Chicago on August 28, 2010. UPI/Brian Kersey Photo via Newscom

      The NFL pick gods couldn’t stand that I had a winning record, so they dealt me a nice crap sandwich last week.

      The Vikings (thanks for that pick-six at the end of the game, Lord Favre), Bills and Broncos were all losers while my only winner was the Redskins over Packers (which came down to overtime, so clearly I was knocking on the door of a 0-4 week). Ugh.

      Let’s get back on the winning track.

      Falcons @ Eagles, 1:00PM ET
      The Falcons have some sort of complex with the Eagles that they can’t seem to shake. I fully believe they’re the better team, but Andy Reid has had their number of late, as his teams have won seven of the last eight matchups. The fact that this game is being played in Philly doesn’t bode well for Atlanta’s chances either, as the Falcons haven’t won in the “City of Brotherly Love” since dragons roamed the earth. (What? Dragons aren’t real? Not buying it.) The Falcons have been grinding out wins the past three weeks, but I think the Eagles’ aggressive defense will give “Matty Ice” issues this Sunday.
      THE PICK: EAGLES -2.5

      Seahawks @ Bears, 1:00PM ET
      I wouldn’t take the Seahawks against my old high school if they were playing on the road, as Seattle absolutely loses its mind when it doesn’t have the “12th Man” behind them. The Bears get a lift with Jay Cutler back from a one-week hiatus due to a concussion and as long as he protects the ball, his defense should give him plenty of opportunities to score. Julius Peppers has meant the world to Brian Urlacher and the rest of Chicago’s defense and I don’t see the Hawks getting into the end zone too many times come Sunday.
      THE PICK: BEARS –6.5

      Cowboys @ Vikings, 4:15PM ET
      Ah, the battle of underachievement. Did anyone else notice on Monday night that as soon as Lord Favre started slinging touchdown passes that he immediately grabbed his elbow after one of the throws? I know he’s been bothered both elbow tendinitis, but the pessimist in me thought it was a little convenient that as soon as he was about to step into the role of hero again, he made a public display about his injury. Give me a break. Anyway – the Cowboys have some serious issues and for once, they go far beyond their self-destructive tendencies. If Wade Phillips can’t figure out what’s wrong with the defense then this team is going to fold like a deck of cards. I think Minnesota’s offense started to figure things out in the second half last week, which leads me to believe the Vikes will figure out a way to win this Sunday – Favre’s elbow be damned.
      THE PICK: VIKINGS -1

      Raiders @ 49ers, 4:05PM ET
      The 49ers shouldn’t be laying 6.5 points to anyone right now – even the Raiders. I’m going to go against my better judgment and take Oakland, even though I think this is a trap. Of course, I thought the Bills’ opponents were traps the past two weeks and Buffalo went ahead and took a dump in the middle of my living room floor and then said here, you clean it up. The Niners are a bad football team and while the same can be said for the Raiders, at least they’ve shown sign of life this season. Give me the points.
      THE PICK: RAIDERS +6.5

      Season Record: 7-8-1

      External Sports, NFL

      The Giants could use a little ’09 Panda right now

      October 15, 2010 /
      Aug. 10, 2010 - San Francisco, California, United States of America - August 8, 2010: San Francisco Giants IF Pablo Sandoval.

      For all intents and purposes, Mike Fontenot was a great late-season pickup by the Giants’ GM Brian Sabean. He can play multiple infield positions, he can hit right-handed pitching and I swear that his hair is made of hay. (I don’t know how that helps the Giants, but it just does, ok?)

      But he’s also Mike Fontenot. Mike, .280 with zero pop Fontenot. He’s fine. He’s meh. He’s Mike Fontenot.

      As the Giants gear up for Game 1 of the NLCS on Saturday night against the Phillies, the plan is pretty simple: Pitch well, score just enough runs to eek out four wins and then head to the World Series. It doesn’t take a blogger at The Scores Report to figure out that San Fran will rely on its pitching staff in order to lift them into the Fall Classic.

      But this club could sure use a little dash of the Panda right now. And not that still-lovable, yet very destructive creature that roamed AT&T Park throughout most of this season, but the very effective swing-at-everything-and-yet-still-hit-.330 beast from 2009.

      Compared to the season he had last year, Pablo Sandoval was the equivalent of having a rock in your shoe this season. He batted .268 with 13 home runs and 63 RBI (despite hitting .330 with 25 dingers and 90 RBI in ’09), yet showed flashes in April and August that made you still think he was the same hitter from a year ago. Whether it was his weight, his divorce, or the fact that he may or may not have sent lewd text messages to Jenn Sterger, he didn’t perform.

      But Giants fans know what kind of talent this 24-year-old kid has. He’s a pure hitter in every sense of the word and when he’s on, he’s a much heavier clone of Vladimir Guerrero. I once saw Sandoval swing at a pitch that bounced before it came across the plate and he still lined it into the outfield. He can it – he just hasn’t been.

      In the last 25 regular season games, he batted just .214 with one home run. He was benched after Game 2 of the NLDS and it remains to be seen whether or not it’ll be him or Fontenot who starts tomorrow night in Philadelphia. Given San Fran’s opponent in the NLCS, it would be nice if Sandoval could show a glimpse of the hitter he was last year because again, Fontenot is Fontenot. It’s hard to imagine a scenario in which the former Cub gets the best of Roy Halladay, Roy Oswalt and Cole Hamels.

      Yet something tells me that Sandoval can still be a weapon in the Giants’ fickle lineup and I’m willing to bet that they would overlook his shaky defense if he could re-establish himself as an offensive force. But if he continues to flail at pitches in the dirt, over his head and in the on deck circle, then “meh” will have to do.

      External Sports, MLB

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