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At the Intersection of Sports and Culture

Photo Credit for Header: Alex Foucre-Stimes

Leftovers

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Every bit as good as the day it was made.

i – I’m happy for Western New York, it’s been a long time since people traveled to Niagara Falls to celebrate something other than a shotgun wedding. I am however dreading the inevitable Chris Berman/Ryan Fitzpatrick Ivy League slobberfest that is bound to make the front page of both the Harvard Crimson and The Brown Daily Herald. Having been rejected from multiple Ivy League schools I can tell you that the Colby Echo has every bit the journalistic integrity as any Ivy daily. Oh, and the Patriots won’t win another Super Bowl until their pass rush improves and they establish a consistent running game. And Chad Ochocinco couldn’t catch a cold.

ii – Last night, during what seemed like an innocent third down play, Curtis Painter turned very flush and there was a moment where I worried he was going to need to be revived on the field. Between his beet red face and the long curly Spicoliesque blond locks, he looked like a either a Cold War era East German bank robber or a villain in the first Die Hard movie. Also, NBC had a Manning problem last night.

iii – San Diego continues to do just enough to get by. The Chargers are like a college student, showing up to class 5 minutes late and hungover while working hard enough to earn that C+. Never before have I agonized over a lock pick like when the Chiefs brought the score to 20-17, and then had a chance to tie or take the lead in the closing moments. There is also zero doubt that Kansas City is going from first to worst in the AFC West. The only question facing the Chiefs this season is how long before Dexter McCluster becomes the best selling jersey in all of Missouri.

iv – Peyton Hillis wasn’t allowed to play with the other boys this weekend due to an aggressive case of strep throat. Was his being sent home a case of what was best for Hillis or maybe his teammates? As it turns out, the Brown didn’t really need the help, dismissing the Dolphins in the final minute of play. Here’s hoping Peyton is feeling better while convalescing over a steaming cup of camomille.

view from Orchard Park courtesy of @Paul_Barone

 

 

NFL Football: On the 11th Day of Waiting

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When Jon (finally) allowed me to begin contributing, he emailed me an initial password with which to log in.  That night was Wednesday and the password was “BradSmith”.

Smith, dubbed by the New York Jets coaching staff “Mr. Everything”, responded in kind to the lofty responsibility of having a password named after him.  First, he took an early 2nd Half end-around and scooted, untouched, 53 yards into the end zone to give Gang Green a lead they would not give back.  It’s worth noting that he was, in fact, wearing two cleats for the entirety of the scoring play.  The same can not be said when B-16 took a short Cincy kickoff 89 yards to the funhouse.  About 50 yards from the end zone, Smith lost a shoe.  Seriously, he finished the return after kicking his cleat off and outrunning the last line of Bengal defenders in an athletic sock.

After finishing off the feckless Bengals 26-10, for the first time in my life, the Jets are 9-2, and will remain so for the next 11 days while the entire Northeast waits with held breath for next Monday night’s “Game Of The Year ” against the 9-2 Patriots, who devoured a feisty Lions squad 45-24.

Over the course of the coming week, next Monday’s game is going to receive its fair share of dissection. A lot will be said about the two quarterbacks. Mark Sanchez has been elusive, creative, and brilliant at times during his sophomore season. Tom Brady has a triple-figure passer rating and hair straight out of a Nickelback video. The Patriots offense is decidedly short on weapons, and it seems that’s the way they like it, having jettisoned one of the best deep-threat wide receivers in the history of the sport. Their register of non-household names just seems to keep rolling, racking up points like the scoreboard operator is the enemy.

See you next Monday night, football fans! Share your views.

Happy Thanksgiving!

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Happy Thanksgiving! So many things to be thankful for today.  I hope you are able to spend the holiday surrounded by loving friends and family.  In between servings of turkey and stuffing, enjoy the shmorgishborg of NFL football starting with New England and Detroit at 12:30. And, as always, please share your views!

View courtesy of @MikeReiss

NFL Sunday Roundup: Week 11

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Let me speak for all of New England this morning when I say, “James Sanders, next one’s on me.” Wow! After what looked like another classic Peyton Manning down from 17 points in the 4th quarter comeback victory, Sanders and the Patriot defense came up with their biggest play of the season to date. For Patriot fans, who still had visions of Kevin Faulk on 4th and 1 in their heads, this was an incredibly large hurdle to pass, a result that now legitimizes the young Patriot defense and propels the team to the top spot in the AFC. Should be a mighty fine tussle when the J-E-T-S visit Foxboro in two weeks.

Going around the league, big wins yesterday for the Steelers, Ravens, and Jets.  The Jacksonville Jaguars are in first place in the AFC South and with their win over the Giants last night, the Philadelphia Eagles have assumed control of the NFC East.  Congrats to the Buffalo Bills on their amazing comeback win over the woeful Cincinnati Bengals. And finally, when do we start taking the Tampa Bay Bucs seriously as a legitimate contender in the NFC South? Share your views

NFL Roundup: The Lights Went Out in New Jersey

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…and the same could be said for the NY Giants who were completely trounced by the lowly 1-7 Dallas Cowboys by a final score of 33-20.  Everyone was surprised by the outcome of yesterday’s game including the operators of the New Meadowlands Stadium, who, for their part, did all they could to ensure that the national TV audience would be unable to witness what was transpiring on the field.

Do not be alarmed, this is an actual image taken from yesterday’s Giants/Cowboys game at the New Meadowlands Stadium.  The blackout lasted for a mere 30 seconds or so before power was gradually restored throughout the stadium.  The game itself was delayed by a total of 12 minutes, which, was not nearly as long as the Giants would have liked considering the final score.

In other NFL news, the Mark Sanchez led Jets won their second overtime game in a row, defeating the Cleveland Browns by a score of 26-20.  The Patriots were able to stay atop the AFC East alongside the Jets with their 39-26 dismantling of the Pittsburgh Steelers on Sunday night.

What impressed you the most about Week 10 in the NFL?  Share your views!