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      Tigers’ great Sparky Anderson passes away at age 76

      November 4, 2010 /
      George Sparky Anderson accepts his introduction to the National Baseball Hall of Fame in this file image from July 23, 2000 in Cooperstown, New York. Anderson, 76, died at his home in Thousand Oaks, California on November 4, 2010 according to family members. REUTERS/Brendan McDermind/Files (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT BASEBALL OBITUARY)

      Baseball has lost another legend.

      Hall of Fame manager Sparky Anderson died on Thursday at the age of 76 of complications from dementia. He was best known for directing Cincinnati’s “Big Red Machine” to back-to-back World Series championships in 1975 and 1976, as well as leading the Tigers to a championship titleover the Padres in 1984.

      From ESPN.com:

      Anderson was the first manager to win World Series titles in both leagues and the only manager to lead two franchises in career wins.

      His Reds teams featuring Pete Rose, Johnny Bench and Joe Morgan that won crowns in 1975 and 1976 rank among the most powerful of all-time. Led by Kirk Gibson and Alan Trammell, Anderson won with the Tigers in 1984.

      Anderson’s win total of 2,194 was the third-highest when he retired after the 1995 season, trailing only Connie Mack and John McGraw. He’s still sixth on the career list — he won 863 games in nine years with the Reds and 1,331 in 17 seasons with the Tigers.

      Always affable and ever talkative, Anderson was equally popular among players, fans and media.

      I lived in Detroit for many years and had the opportunity to work for a sports radio station while I was there. Let me tell you first hand: Sparky Anderson was beloved. The blue-collar city that is Detroit has always been very appreciative for what Anderson brought to Motown.

      I think it’s appropriate that he left us during the same week the World Series wrapped up.

      R.I.P., Sparky.

      External Sports, MLB

      Browns should stick with McCoy as their starter

      November 4, 2010 /
      NEW ORLEANS - OCTOBER 24: Colt McCoy of the Cleveland Browns stands in the huddle during the game against the New Orleans Saints at the Louisiana Superdome on October 24, 2010 in New Orleans, Louisiana. The Browns defeated the Saints 30-17. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)

      I’ve always been of the mindset that when it comes to NFL teams, their present should reflect their future.

      That’s why Colt McCoy should remain the starter for the Browns. He’s supposed to be their future, so in the midst of another losing season why not make him their present too?

      McCoy has a long way to go before he can lead the Browns to the Super Bowl, the playoffs, or even to a winning season. But Seneca Wallace and Jake Delhomme (especially Delhomme) aren’t the long-term answers the Browns need at quarterback. When healthy, Wallace may give Cleveland its best chance of winning right now but if the franchise isn’t moving forward, there’s no sense in moving laterally either (which is what they would be doing if Wallace was their starter).

      I wouldn’t be saying this if I didn’t think McCoy could handle the pressure. If he looked like Jimmy Clausen did in his first couple of starts, then the tone of this article would be entirely different. But in two starts this season, McCoy has completed 32 of his 49 pass attempts for 355 yards with two touchdowns and one interception. He didn’t set the world on fire with his 9-for-16 performance against the Saints two weeks ago, but he didn’t need to either. The Browns won because they didn’t make any mistakes and the defense kept forcing turnovers. Granted, he’s working with a scaled down version of the offense, but all young quarterbacks (whether they’re the No. 5 overall pick or the No. 85 overall pick) have to start somewhere.

      Again, this is about the future and the future is Colt McCoy. The best way to learn and grow in the NFL is to play and McCoy has more than held his own against the likes of the Steelers and Saints on the road. He’ll receive another big test this Sunday against the Patriots, but he’ll be fine.

      And if he’s not, then at the very least he’ll be taking his lumps with the guys that’ll be staring back at him in the huddle for years to come.

      External Sports, NFL

      Freddie Mitchell joins in the bashing of Donovan McNabb

      November 4, 2010 /
      PHILADELPHIA - JANUARY 11: Wide receiver Freddie Mitchell #84 of the Philadelphia Eagles catches a 28-yard catch on defensive backs Jue Bhawoh #21 and Darren Sharper #42 of the Green Bay Packers on the Eagles last posession in the forth quarter during the NFC divisional playoffs on January 11, 2004 at Lincoln Financial Field in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)

      Not to be outdone by Terrell Owens, Freddie Mitchell decided to join in on the bashing of Donovan McNabb.

      From AOL Fanhouse:

      “I respect both Coach Reid and Coach Shanahan — they have two total different coaching theories,” Mitchell said. “I can only wonder what would have happened in the Super Bowl if Reid stepped up and said, ‘You know what? You’re playing like [expletive], you’re benched.’ I don’t know many coaches that have the balls to do that. He was playing like [expletive] and he should have been benched. … And don’t say he doesn’t have a record of this; he did the same thing in every single championship game.”

      What’s interesting here is that McNabb made Mitchell relevant with that 4th-and-26 play (photo) to help the Eagles beat the Packers to reach the Super Bowl. Otherwise, nobody would have remembered who this clown was. If McNabb throws to a different receiver on that play or the pass falls incomplete, Mitchell’s name is never brought up again.

      You can measure a man’s character during times like these and I venture to say that Mitchell doesn’t have any. Instead of coming to their former quarterback’s defense, T.O. and Mitchell (who couldn’t get a job in the league if he offered to play for free) decided to kick him while he’s down. McNabb has made six Pro Bowls, led his team to multiple NFC title games and one Super Bowl, yet he’s supposed to take all the blame for losing to the Patriots in ’05.

      Football is a team game. God forbid T.O. or Mitchell say something like, “I could have done more, too. We lost as a team.” Oh, no – it’s all McNabb’s fault. He was the one who couldn’t get it done and it was because of him that Philly never won a Super Bowl.

      Give me a break. McNabb’s not perfect but he did more for the Philadelphia Eagle organization than Owens and Mitchell combined. And at least T.O. has done something in the league. Mitchell was a joke.

      External Sports, NFL

      Kenny Britt to miss 6-8 weeks?

      November 4, 2010 /
      Tennessee Titans wide receiver Kenny Britt (18) reaches out to try and catch a pass, as San Diego Chargers safety Paul Oliver (27) watches, in the first half of their NFL football game in San Diego, California October 31, 2010. REUTERS/Mike Blake (UNITED STATES - Tags: SPORT FOOTBALL)

      Pundits thought that one of the reasons why the Titans put a claim in for Randy Moss was because Kenny Britt’s hamstring injury would sideline him for a good chunk of the season.

      Apparently they were right.

      Citing a league source, Terry McCormick of Titans Insider is reporting that Britt could miss the next 6-8 weeks. Jeff Fisher sounded optimistic recently about Britt’s hamstring injury but if McCormick’s report is true, the Titans will be without their top wideout for most of the second half.

      The Titans better get Randy Moss up to speed quickly because if he can’t make an impact out of the gates next week (the team has a bye this Sunday), defenses will continue to load up the box to stop Chris Johnson. It remains to be seen how motivated Moss will be to play for Tennessee, which is a serious playoff contender but certainly not in the same realm as the Patriots.

      External Sports, NFL

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