More quick hits

IS it just me, or is George Steinbrenner the sports equivalent to C. Montgomery Burns?


Speaking as a former football coach (2 years with receivers, one with special teams in a semi-pro women's full contact league, and 2 years as the head coach at a middle school running a defense that gave up less than 7 PPG through the two years) and former player (HS, semi-pro), the worst thing that has happened to football commentary has been the advent of the fantasy league.
The fantasy league has spawned the football ingenue. We are besot with people that think they know about football because they can put together a winning rotisserie team. Those same people don't get why this Sunday's late game is a football purist's wet dream.
To them, this Sunday's AFC title game is going to be a "boring defensive struggle."
I grew up watching the Steel Curtain and the Big Blue Wrecking Crew. Whenever possible I watched film of Lombardi's Packers and I watched Paterno's Nittany Lions. I'm all about the punishing defense. Anyone that truly knows football is looking forward to that.
It's going to be a football smackdown - two of the most punishing D's in the league are going to make the opposing O's earn every inch. Forget Baltimore, they're overrated - Ray Lewis got to the Pro Bowl on rep alone (Tedy Bruschi had the better season, don't believe me, look it up), and Reed - got smoked by Corey Dillon in the match-up in the mud - possibly the best stiff arm I've ever seen, sent Reed, literally head over heels.
Sunday is the Rumble at three Rivahs, the Thrilla on the Manongahilla (I don't think I spelled that right, but you get the point), it is simply going to be the best game of the season.

I spent 8 seasons playing some form of hockey or other while growing up. I was a fan at the Beanpot tournament more than once and have sat center-ice row 6 for Bruins games. Somehow I just won't be too crushed if hockey up and goes away.
Management of the league over the last 20 years has been disastrous, and while the players' union is busy trying to point this out and garner sympathy, I have none for a group of people who are trying to perpetuate a system that will ultimately cause their paychecks to go away completely. Hockey in its most recent model is not economically viable and it doesn't matter whether or not the players like it, or want it to be otherwise, the only people left to make a sacrifice to save the league are the players.
Personally, I think its too late for that anyway.

In light of the Colts recent struggles at Gillette, maybe people should begin thinking about nicknaming the stadium the Glue Factory.

Isn't it appropriate that in a season during which Massachusetts senator John Kerry runs for President, that the Patriots end up in Heinz Field during the playoffs?

Overall, in light of last season, I trust Theo Epstein, but David Wells?

Read the novella "Bleachers" by John Grisham over the holidays. It was a quick read, but not overwhelmingly compelling. The characters mostly lacked depth and the story itself was like Grisham had watched Varsity Blues and decided to write about what had happened to those characters fifteen years later (you can pick out story line elements that parallel VB maybe a little bit too closely). Can't say as I would recommend it unless you were looking for something to read on a flight that wouldn't tax your brain too much.

Thursday I will break-down this weekend's AFC game.