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At the Intersection of Sports and Culture

Photo Credit for Header: Alex Foucre-Stimes

The Governor of Pennsylvania Wants You to Finish Your Push-Ups

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By far my favorite sports related story of the Blizzard of 2010 was Ed Rendell’s reaction to the NFL postponing the Eagles/Vikings game until tonight.  The Governor of Pennsylvania said, and I am not paraphrasing, “We’ve become a nation a wusses. The Chinese are kicking our butt in everything. If this were China do you think the Chinese would have called off the game?” For starters, I applaud Gov. Rendell for speaking his mind.  We live in a PC/cover your ass world and it’s refreshing anytime someone dare go near that line. However, with all due respect to the Governor, the Chinese would have definitely called off Sunday night’s game.

Now, while I can’t quite comment on the quality of snow removal machines in Sichuan Province, I can tell you that with all the snow and wind falling in Philadelphia Sunday night, it would have been next to impossible to reach Lincoln Financial Field. Not only that, but once you reach the stadium, where would you park your car?  Logistically speaking, unless all 80K ticketholders were traveling to the game on cross country skis, there would have had nowhere to put them.

So Governor Rendell, while the Chinese remain vastly superior in calculus, Americans will sit on their couches tonight and enjoy themselves some Tuesday night football live from Philadelphia, PA.

Share your views.

View courtesy of @TCtourMgmt

The “Tis the Season for Bowling” Part II

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Independence Bowl: Air Force(-3) vs. Georgia Tech
December 27, 5 pm ET (TBD)
“Analysis”: I’m genuinely surprised that The Falcons are favored here. I thought Georgia Tech was supposed to be pretty good. The ACC must stink even worse than I thought. Anyway, I haven’t seen Air Force play, but I imagine they still run some kind of crazy Wing-T offense up there in Colorado Springs. Tech’s athletic QB Josh Nesbitt will likely be inactive (ahhh, hence the point spread!).
VMS Pick: Air Force

Champs Sports Bowl: West Virginia(-3) vs. NC State
December 28, 6:30 pm ET (ESPN)
“Analysis”: Champs is an awesome store. Whenever I visit a new city, I always try to get to a Champs so I can buy the t-shirt of a local athlete. Nice little tradition. Anyway, this game is being played in Orlando, where the only pro team is the Magic. I would not want any of their t-shirts. None. If someone gave me a shirt that said Reddick on the back of it, I wouldn’t even use it to wipe sweat off of my mortal enemy’s pet bulldog. This game features two up-and-comers at QB: Geno Smith for the Mountaineers and Russell Wilson for The ‘Pack. But the x-factor will be the too quick for his shoes Noel Devine. If he gets loose, this one won’t be close.
VMS Pick: West Virginia

Insight Bowl: Missouri (-2.5) vs. Iowa
December 28, 10 pm ET (ESPN)
“Analysis”: Oh, man. Iowa’s best player, WR Derrell Johnson-Koulianos just got arrested for running something called a ‘drug house’. A drug house?! In Iowa! Anyway, the U. of Iowa was really embarrassed, because DJK also had a bunch of bad stuff in his system at the time of the arrest. Reminder: this all happened in Iowa! Needless to say Derrell will not be gracing the Insight Bowl, nor will a bunch of his teammates, who have all been summarily dismissed from the team. Even without the “Brad’s” (Pitt and Smith), Lesley Stahl, and Jon Hamm, this one should be a laugher for The Zoo..
VMS Pick: Missouri [Read more…]

Seasons Greetings From the Association

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Hello, friends. This year, there’s a veritable glut of Christmas NBA action– about 13 hours of it in all– starting at Noon and finishing up on Boxing Day, ET. Here’s our brief look at today’s matchups.

Chicago Bulls at New York Knicks, 12:00 PM (ESPN)
It appears that basketball has finally returned to The Mecca. The rivalry began in the early 90s, only to lose a lot of its steam after Michael Jordan retired. But now, with both squads tapping the free agent big man market over the summer, the tradition returns to MSG. And by the way, Ray Felton IS an elite NBA point guard.  Look no further than his numbers: 18.2 PPG, 9.1 APG, 3.9 RPG, 1.9 SPG. Stats don’t lie. As good as Amar’e has been early on, and he’s been great, I would argue that some of those Garden “M-V-P” chants could easily be thrown Ray’s way. He’s finally in sync with Stoudemire on the pick-and-roll, is not afraid to step back and knock down a three-pointer, and seems to thrive on pressure situations, making shot after shot when it counts.

(view courtesy of @dR3wMiLL3R)

As a lifelong Knicks fan who remembers the 90s and what those Knicks-on-Christmas game meant to the NBA, I’m just thrilled that this game means something. Again.

Boston Celtics at Orlando Magic, 2:30 PM (ABC)
Boston has won 14 games in a row. The Big 3 has been consistent, steady, and reliable. The two O’Neal’s and Rondo have all been shelved at some point (J.O and Rondo won’t play today), every game seems to come down to the last shot, but somehow the Celts are 23 and 4, leading the East.

Orlando has looked awful at times this year. Their two wing scorers, Rashard Lewis and Vince Carter, loved to disappear, to the point where the Magic blew up their squad with two blockbuster trades last week.  The Magic looked great in beating the Spurs on Wednesday night. Arenas, Turkoglu, and Richardson are all playing meaningful minutes, without any semblance of a formal offense yet, alongside Howard, Nelson, and a somehow-relevant-again JJ Redick.

In the closing seconds, the ball will be in Paul Pierce’s hand and I think you can all guess what happens next.

Miami Heat at Los Angeles Lakers, 5:00 PM (ABC) [Read more…]

View My Picks: Week 16

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PITTSBURGH (-14.5) over Carolina: If you’re a Panthers fan, do you want your team to lose the next two weeks to ensure yourselves the #1 pick and Andrew Luck in next year’s NFL draft?

Dallas (-6.5) over ARIZONA: I had no idea that John Skelton, QB for the Cardinals, went to Fordham. I had no idea Fordham even had a football program.

MIAMI (-3.5) over Detroit: It feels like the Dolphins have played at least 15 home games this year, and lost every single one of them.

Minnesota (+14.5) over PHILADELPHIA: I’m going with rookie Joe Webb on the road. I’M GOING WITH ROOKIE JOE WEBB ON THE ROAD.

JACKSONVILLE (-7) over Washington: Reason No. 48 that you know your career as a starting QB in the NFL is over… your head coach believes that Rex Grossman and John Beck give the team a better chance at winning than you do.

ST. LOUIS (-2.5) over San Francisco: I have no problem with a 7-9 team making the playoffs.  I wish the same were true in the MLB. Then my Orioles may finally have a chance of playing October baseball again.

TAMPA BAY (-6) over Seattle: Every year, there’s that one team you just can’t figure out.  The Seahawks are that team for me this season. I swear I have picked each of their games incorrectly this year. Sorry Josh Freeman, looks like you won’t be covering the spread this game.

BUFFALO (+8) over New England: If Buffalo were in the NFC West this year, what would their record have been? 10-6, 9-7, or 8-8?

New York Jets (+1) over CHICAGO: Top to bottom, Jets are a better football team.  Word to the wise Steve Weatherford, don’t punt the ball to Devin Hester.

Baltimore (-3.5) over CLEVELAND: The NFC North will go down to week 17.

KANSAS CITY (-6) over Tennessee: If the Chiefs make the playoffs, are they underdogs at home to either the Ravens/Steelers/Jets?

Indianapolis (-3) over OAKLAND: Let me just say, I feel really bad for Austin Collie. Dude probably shouldn’t have been playing last week anyway.

Houston (-2.5) over DENVER: Allow me to be the 1,000,000,001 sports fan to way in on the Tim Tebow regime in Denver.  Inspirational leader, hard worker who can’t possibly make all the throws he needs to make himself a successful NFL quarterback.

New York Giants (+3) over GREEN BAY: Sunday’s forecast for Aaron Rodgers…cloudy with a chance of double vision.

San Diego (-7.5) over CINCINNATI: I no longer trust Carson Palmer with the back door cover.

ATLANTA (-2.5) over New Orleans: Atlanta > Baltimore + Baltimore > New Orleans = Atlanta > New Orleans

Last week: 7-9

Views courtesy of @jenny1027 and @RyanMcLane1

The End of an Era on the Smurf Turf

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I didn’t watch much of the Maaco Bowl from Las Vegas last night, but from what I could tell, one of the biggest stories in Boise State’s 26-3 butt whipping of Utah was that we could all be witnessing the end of an era in Idaho. With 18 seniors graduating, the Broncos may be staring down the end of decade long era of BCS busting football. I hope I’m wrong about this because I have thoroughly enjoyed watching Boise St. play these past few years. (I heard somewhere that Boise has a patent on the blue turf.  Anyone know if this is true or not?)

So what does everyone else think?  Was last night the last time that Brent Musburger and Kirk Herbstreit will ever call a Boise State game on national TV? Share your views.

View courtesy of @pkillip