• 

  Kareem Abdul Jabbar has a blog through the L.A. Times website. Where have I been?

• Kobe put up 30 (of his season-high 52) in the 4th quarter and OT en route to a Kidd-added Mavs shut down.
• LeBron put on his own show while shutting down the Bulls and their own new-look team.
• No word yet on where Randy Moss might land. How entertaining would it be if he landed in Big D?
• Philly’s Donovan McNabb needs a formidable receiver? What breaking news, go on…
• Atlanta won in the “L.T.’s backup” sweepstakes, and will send Warrick Dunn packing.
• Norman Chad condenses the various sports headlines to 6 words each.
• 10 losing seasons in a row and a crappy draw in divisions (nobody should have to face the Red Sox and Yankees as much as they do each year) the Orioles finally admit to rebuilding.

Yes, Randy Moss and Terrell Owens could co-exist in the same environment, if it comes down to it.

Well… for a few weeks, anyway.

Tony Romo is a capable quarterback (and by capable, I mean “able to throw the ball in the correct direction”), perfectly able to keep them happy. All that would be asked of any QB to succeed with two of the best receivers in the NFL at their disposal is: remain conscious most of the time, have a good sense of direction (always looking north/south) and maintain enough health to have one working throwing arm.

Easy enough, right? Even Joey Harrington couldn’t mess that up…

Too far? Ok, ok. Only Joey Harrington could mess that up.

Moss and Owens are at the back end of their careers, but still have a few more years left of productivity. Each reached the Super Bowl, each went home empty-handed — there’s plenty of competitive fire still a brewin’.

But of course we have to take into account their personalities when considering whether they could mesh. Between the two, they are the most high-maintenance receivers in the league. They constantly need to be involved in the offense at a high level or, like clockwork, they will let their QB, O-coordinator, team mom or whomever know just how upset they feel.

But let’s look at what drives them crazy the most: QBs.

They could easily find common ground based on their mutual dislike for certain QBs, and their recent “falling in love” with their latest QBs. Owens could share his love and adoration for Romo, while Moss reminisced about the time he and Brady were inseparable — well, when he wasn’t dating or impregnating super models, anyway.

But the same item that would bring them together, would just as quickly tear them apart.

Would T.O. be able to share his quarterback? I think it’s safe to assume that a receiver who sheds tears over his QB has serious potential to be somewhat like a clingy girlfriend on- and off the field.

And Moss, fresh off a QB break-up (from, like, the most dreamy QB ever!), would be on the rebound. His eyes would be wandering, looking for someone to replace Brady and repair his heart — or at least take his mind off it all.

T.O. would take notice and warn Romo that Moss was just using him to replace old Brady memories. Romo would try to calm T.O., claiming they would still be the good ol’ 9-to-81 duo like the old days. But after Moss hit double-digit TDs, T.O.’s quality time with Romo would diminish. Soon, the sleepovers would subside, ranch hangouts would be no more and as a result, more T.O. tears would flow.

No more buddy-buddy, Mr. Nice Guy Owens. No more tranquility in the Cowboys homestead.

Only jealousy, deceit and mischievousness lingering about. Something like a Desperate Housewives Receivers episode of sorts.

So Cowboys fans should be scared at the prospect of Moss coming to town.

It’s all fun and games, ’till someone gets hurt.

Years ago, in 2003, Terrelll Suggs was taught a lesson in humility at the NFL Draft Combine. Despite having set the NCAA record for sacks in a season, 24, during his junior year at Arizona State University, his 40-yard-dash time at the combine had many “draft experts” doubting his ability to perform at the highest level in the NFL.

After five years recorded in the NFL, Suggs accumulated 1 NFL defensive rookie-of-the-year honor, 2 Pro Bowl selections and just this week he was assigned the franchise tag with the Baltimore Ravens, the team that originally selected him 10th overall at the 2003 NFL Draft.

Do we still think the combine is the best judge for who can make it on the next level?

On the plus side, many other athletes are taught a similar level of humility at the NFL Draft Combine. Hundreds of soon-to-be professional athletes line up next to one another and compete individual skill drills to see who can impress the NFL scouts more. The athletes find out that even though they have many wonderful videos illustrating their on-field greatness, a simple slip-up at the NFL combine could make or break a career.

Situations similar to Suggs — of under-performing combine participants out-performing draft experts — happen quite often; but, in contrast, just as often, so does as the absolute reverse — draft combine star who goes on to lay an egg in the NFL (Um… Ryan Leaf, anyone?).

One may just conclude that a shiny, lucky coin may be as good a scout as some employed by the NFL.

If you are one of those types who can’t get enough of 40-yard-dash times, Wonderlick Tests, Shuttle drills and bench press numbers, you’re in for a real treat this week. Follow along this week as the NFL Draft Combine takes over your local NFL Network channel.

Consider it like a glorified American Idol of sorts. Or, even, a track-and-field competition with just a few more pennie$ at stake.

In wake of the abrupt conclusion to the second Joe Gibbs era, Redskins owner Daniel Snyder knew he could ill afford to make mistakes in choosing a replacement head coach. His franchise just endured one of the most exhaustive and tragic seasons in NFL history. And to make matters worse, the head honcho and glue of the entire locker room operation, Hall of Fame coach Joe Gibbs, announced the end of his second era as Redskins head coach.

Knowing the utter importance of finding a follow-up to a local legend, Snyder kept Gibbs on-hand as an adviser. In the wake of any perceived bad decision, the most respected man in Washington — debatably more respected than the leading man living in the White House — would be by his side every step of the way.

The search went on for what seemed like ages (33 days, to be exact) but the Skins claim to have their man. Many of us thought it best for the well-being of the franchise to promote someone within the organization. Well, they did. Sort of.

Hired as offensive coordinator two weeks ago and subsequently promoted today (Talk about climbing the corporate ladder at a record pace!), the end result, folks, fans and all those seated “to the left, to the left,” meet: Jim Zorn.

Who exactly is this guy? Glad you asked. Here is a quick rundown of what we know about him:

• He spent the last 6 years (sans the 2 week O-coordinator gig) as quarterbacks coach in Seattle; he comes highly regarded as the man who helped turn Matt Hassleback into a Pro-Bowler.
• He played quarterback in the NFL for Seattle and the two Bays — Green and Tampa.
• Conveniently enough, like his predecessor, Zorn is considered a deeply religious man.

“Continuity” is the key buzzword going into this new Zorn coaching era. He came into his new job thanks to:

1. The kind heart of Snyder
2. The adoring recommendation from Seattle QB Hasselback and;
3. As to fulfill the continuity department, the bulk of Gibbs’ coaching staff remains — that is, if you take away the two recently fired head offensive and defensive minds, Al Saunders and Gregg Williams.

The torch was, essentially, handed from Gibbs to Zorn (with a few dozen hands clawing and grabbing at it from below). In his introductory press conference, Zorn acknowledged how much respect he had for the historic Redskins franchise, including his Hall of Fame predecessor (no pressure!) and how shocked many — including himself — were that he was the answer to a 33-day search:

“I look at these three trophies, it’s quite intimidating, and I know who’s behind this little group here,” Zorn said. “I’m very proud to be standing in an organization that has these and . . . I understand the opportunity I’ve been given. I’m sure there are some surprised people. I know I was surprised to get the opportunity, but I know how hard I’m going to work to earn everyone’s trust and confidence.”

So, Zorn, the keys to Washington’s beloved franchise are in your hands. The potential for the team is large:

• A great young quarterback in Jason Campbell, eager to stop switching coaches and offensive systems and ready to start getting settled in to his own system where he can become comfortable (that way no more backups *cough, cough, Todd Collins… *cough* can slide in and steal his starting position if unforeseen circumstances arise) and prosper.
• A formidable defense who showed in the past 2 years they could be in the top tier of the league.
• A fan base in Washington that is as large as any in the country — and, quite possibly, as crazy dedicated.

With that said, Mr. Zorn, please enjoy your days in the driver’s seat; at the adult’s table; wearing the big boys pants. Coach your little heart out but, whatever you do, don’t screw up!

You wouldn’t like the boss when he’s angry.

Don’t believe me? Just ask Marty Schottenheimer.

I must say, this ad is quite entertaining. Had this been run following the conclusion of Super Bowl XLII, the city of Boston would have rioted.

Thanks to Yardbarker for the clip.

Like the great heavyweight bout in ‘73, when George Foreman knocked the stuffing out of undefeated (29-0) champ Joe Frazier in a bout held in Jamaica, the New York Giants stepped on the University of Phoenix field and put the undefeated (18-0) New England Patriots on their back en route to capturing the Super Bowl XLII championship title.

Even if your favorite team was left out of this year’s big game, the game provided plenty of excitement to go around. The excitement followed all the way into the 4th quarter, leaving the record 97.5 million viewers on the edge of their seats down the wire.

Here were a few of the keys to the Giants victory on their way to one of the most incredible upsets (yes, Giants fans, it was an upset… the Pats were favored by 12 points going in, and were 18-0) in Super Bowl history:

Tom Brady Could Never Get Comfortable
The MVP trophy should be in the hands of the entire Giants defensive line. Throughout the entire game, Justin Tuck, Michael Strahan, Osi Umenyiora and the rest of the defensive front line kept Tom Brady scrambling for his life. They brought Brady down 5 times for a sack and put him on his backside on several other occasions. Their intensity, paired with defensive coach Steve Spagnuolo’s aggressive blitz calls, helped hold the typically potent New England offense to 14 points and 274 total yards. At some points, Brady seemed uncharacteristically inaccurate (during the regular season he completed nearly 70% of his passes) due to the overload and extra pressure he faced. This was the main stat line of the game, although there were plenty of other factors assisting in the Giants’ victory, including…

Eli Manning Surprising Poised and Clutch Performance
A buddy of mine loves the Giants. Going into both the Giants/Cowboys and Giants/Packers match-ups, I asked a simple question to which I could receive no definitive answer — “How much faith would you put in Eli’s arm?” Nobody quite expected the youngest Manning brother to play like he did, but game after game he came through for his team. His 2 touchdowns in the 4th quarter of the Super Bowl helped overtake the lead with under 2 minutes remaining. He moved around in the pocket comfortably — much to the credit of the wonderful gameplay by his offensive line — and even when the pocket collapsed, with the pressure on, he managed to escape harm and get his throw off. Of all of his passes in the night, none was more memorable as…

David Tyree’s Fantastic Catch On 3rd and 5
With 1:15 left on the play clock, Manning dropped back to pass on 3rd and 5 on the Giants’ 44-yard-line. The pocket collapsed quickly, and a Patriots lineman grabs hold of Manning’s jersey. Ducking, spinning and eventually eluding #97’s grip, Manning scrambles back outside the pocket, sets his feet and launches what initially looked like a prayer downfield. Giants receiver David Tyree leaps in the air and beats out seasoned veteran Rodney Harrison for a jump ball in what might have been one of the most amazing Super Bowl catches of my lifetime. (See the play here) That 32-yard gain helped give the Giants a fresh set of downs and, four plays later…

Eli Connected With Plaxico Burress For The Game-Winning TD
The Giants wide receivers had an absolutely terrific night. Take away an interception in the red zone, caused by a ball tipped off Steve Smith’s hands, and the receiver gameplay was nearly flawless. Smith stepped up for big catches, along with Amani Toomer and, of course, Tyree (see above). Burress was shadowed by extra safety help for most of the first half, limiting him to one catch early-on. But his second catch proved to be the game-winner, as he beat his defender on a simple slant-and-go route he and Manning executed perfectly.

* * * * * * * * * * *

The Patriots are reeling. They went into the game to attack a historic mark of 19-0, and came up short. During the off-season they have plenty to deal with, including the contract dealings of two of their best players — Randy Moss and Asante Samuel — and, as we briefly covered before, plenty of accusations and/or rumors to handle.

Despite falling short, the 2007-08 Patriots will still go down as one of the best teams in NFL history. They started out the season with 18 straight wins, which is an incredible feat even though they will forever be haunted by the single mark in the loss column.

Bill Belichick will undoubtedly take this loss personally. He convinced his team week-in, week-out the league was out to get them. In the Super Bowl — at least at the anti-Patriots party I attended — all but one person wanted to see Belichick’s boys catch a loss in the biggest game of the year. I say call it karmic justice. Belichick toyed with league rules throughout the year and made it very clear that his Patriots were out to destroy any and every team, even if his respect for the integrity of the game was called into question. He, more than any of the players on the team — many of whom I enjoy watching as players — deserved this loss. Even if it meant — Lord, help us all — having to put up with Mercury Morris for another long while.

The Giants played better than what was the most talented team in the NFL in Super Bowl XLII, and pulled off an incredible upset. They deserve all the accolades showered upon them.

Another important issue is that of the haters who doubted the Giants throughout their Super Bowl run. In particular, the Giants should go easy on retaliating against their former teammate, Tiki Barber, who called out the Giants organization, players and coaches early in the season on a number of fronts. There is quite a convincing argument that Tiki’s hate may have been the much-needed push to catapult New York over the top and into their incredible Super Bowl run.

No need to dwell on the past, Giants — don’t you have a Super Bowl victory parade to attend?

Time and time again fans had to withstand an exciting regular season and playoffs, only to be let down by a lackluster performance in the Super Bowl. Will this year be different? Will the New York Giants step up to the big bully of the league, the New England Patriots? Will the recent allegations against the Patriots affect their gameplay? Can the commercials finally step up and outperform the last few years of mediocrity?

Tonight we will find out. Here are the official Mind Rite Sports picks. Happy Super Bowl Day!

[Read the rest of this entry »]

Those Patriots have more skeletons in their closet than a Congressman, no?

Super Bowl XLII picks coming tomorrow. Stay tuned.

Every Super Bowl there is a word, player or event the media uses to pelt the public. Last year it was the featuring of two African-American head coaches. The year before, just in case you did not hear, Jerome Bettis played the Super Bowl in his hometown of Detroit. This year’s hype is no exception, but, please, do not be distracted by Tom Brady’s ankle. Do not be fooled by the hoopla of Peyton’s little brother. Yet, understand the sole focus of Super Bowl XLII is HISTORY.

Day in and day out reports, broadcasters and the like have told the viewing public history may arrive Sunday. I, like many others, am not opposed to history, in fact I am encouraging history this Sunday. I would love to witness the first team in NFL history to go undefeated through 18 games – and lose in the Super Bowl.

History can be defined as acts, ideas or events that will or can shape the course of the future; immediate but significant happenings. Assuming that a sports team cannot define history is not only ignorant, but dangerous. Review the following potential outcomes of the Patriots remaining forever (I am ready to vomit as I am typing) perfect.

1. Tom Brady will have sex with every woman on the planet (like this is something new). Actually, an amendment will be passed making it against the law to decline Tom Brady’s request to sleep with your significant other. The fine: forfeiting the subsequent year’s 1st round fantasy selection, but do not worry, the 49ers, uh, I mean, your buddy Jim will trade you a much better selection free of charge.
2. Lawrence Maroney’s face will become the #1 selling Halloween mask. Unfortunately for him, he must wear his mask year round.
3. Josh McDaniels will become head coach of the Washington Redskins. He will immediately add Jason Campbell to the injury report with a “sore shoulder.”
4. It will be determined the movie Cloverfield was a true story based upon the reunion of cutoff, hoodie sleeves attacking New York City. Everyone will be held hostage and forced to wear sleeveless gear. Only wife beaters will be safe allowing Bobby Cox to remain manager of the Braves.
5. At barber shops around the world, men, women, and children will request “The Seau.” After all, few haircuts are smoother than a receding sideburn.
6. George Bush will abolish all privacy laws. Good luck pissing without having Tom Brady laugh at you.
7. Belichick becomes head of the CIA…actually, this may have some benefits.
8. Finally, Belichick, Pinky, and the Brain will finally take over the world.

It appears to be such a short time ago, but I remember, along with a few friends, watching Super Bowl 36, vehemently rooting for the New England Patriots to defeat the St. Louis Rams. Tom Brady was a green quarterback who, just two weeks prior, helped bounce my beloved Pittsburgh Steelers. The dilemma was present: root for the underdog who upset my Steelers, or root for the disliked Rams. I hated the Patriots after defeating the Steelers, but I, possibly choosing the lesser of the evils, shouted, up and down the hallway, P-A-T-S, Pats! Pats! Pats! I wish 2008 me could karate chop 2004 me right in the throat.

The Patriots are, and forever will be, the first dynasty of the new millennium. I will always give credit where credit is due. Winning Super Bowl 42 will instantly place the Patriots as the greatest team in sports history. Even as I try to avoid it, the word history reappears – let’s just hope history occurs at 18-1.

PJ is a special contributor to MindRiteSports.com. He can be reached at pjtierno@yahoo.com.

The Berman clip inspired me today. So, after I cursed out a few people, I came back to my computer and looked up a few random YouTube clips (isn’t that site just… great? Everyone not named Berman would agree) So without any further adieu, here are a few clips and the inspiration to follow –

JORDAN VS. BIRD MCD’S COMMERCIALS

Jordan vs. Bird (no, not the video game) inspires me to: (1) Watch “Fast Food Nation”, (2) Pick up a basketball for the first time in over a year… and challenge someone to the most absurd game of HORSE ever. Scratch that, second-most absurd game ever, (3) Write MJ and see what the actual wager on the game was between he and Bird. You know he bet something.

BARRY SANDERS HIGHLIGHTS

Nuff said. This clip inspires me to: (1) Hunt down Scott Mitchell to see if he’s still working management, considering his playing days taught him the great skill called “delegation”, (2) Jog down the hallway and give someone a spin move, shimmy, stiff-arm, and then sprint away, (3) Deem Barry the most exciting running back of my time!

RANDOM KID — “INJURED, INJURED BAD”

This on isn’t directly about sports, but it is definitely dedicated to the Patriots injury report. This inspired me to: (1) Go out and buy that Tom Brady voodoo doll I’d been procrastinating to get, (2) Call my family in the south and make sure they’re all doing well… and staying healthy, (3) Hunt down further clips of Bill Cosby and that fine, puddin’ pop-inspired old show, “Kids Say The Darndest Things”.