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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

NFL Week 9 Power Poll: An NFC Renaissance?

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We’re 8 weeks into the 2010 NFL season and right now the top 5 teams in the league are arguably all from the AFC (Pats, Jets, Steelers, Ravens, Colts).  So what does this mean for the NFC? Are the Giants really the best team in the conference?  Could the Falcons emerge as the top seed?  Are we buying into the magic going on in Tampa?

As we head into the second half of the season, two NFC teams, the Packers and Saints, deserve our careful attention.  GB finished strong last year and will soon get some key players back from injury.  Drew Brees will benefit from the return of a healthy Reggie Bush and down the stretch no defense is going to want to go up against the potent New Orleans offense.

Share your views.  Would people like to amend their preseason Superbowl picks?

NFL Sunday Recap Week 7: The Near End of the Suicide Pool

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If the Buffalo Bills were able to hold on against Baltimore and beat the Ravens, nearly every contestant in a weekly lock pool would have been knocked out of their contest.  In my league, nearly 2/3 of the remaining 39 participants were taken out by the Saints and Broncos.  I was one of the lucky 12 to take Baltimore and remain alive by the narrowest of margins.

And how long will the Super Bowl hangover last in New Orleans?  The Saints remain very unpredictable and may struggle to keep up with the emerging Atlanta Falcons.  I have no idea what to make of the Raiders 59-14 shalacking of Denver in Mile High.  Where did Darren McFadden’s performance (165 rushing yard, 4 TD’s) come from?  He hasn’t had a game like this since he was running the “Wild Hog” in Arkansas.  With Kansas City and Oakland running 1-2 respectively, the AFC West has turned over on its axis.

Who do people feel is the team to beat in the NFC?  Falcons?  Eagles? Giants? Seahawks?  Share your views.