N.O. catches for T.O.

Heading into Sunday's game against the New Orleans Saints, Bills star wide-receiver Terrell Owens had a streak of 185-games where he caught at least one ball. However that streak came to end as T.O. was held without a reception for the first time since his rookie year in 1996 with the San Francisco 49ers. The streak was also the longest of any active player and third longest in NFL history only behind Marvin Harrison who's stuck on 190 and the great Jerry Rice who had 274 consecutive games with a catch. To add to the snapped streak, the Bills lost the game 27 to 7 on their own turf.

Owens was thrown to a total of 5 times but was either over thrown or failed to make the reception. After the game, Owens was pounded by the media with questions regarding him and the play-calling. Those questions were all answered the same as T.O. repeatedly said "I'm going with the plays that are called." But it's only a matter of time before #81 begins pointing the finger. He knows he needs the ball in order to help this team succeed offensively and he's not the only one that agrees. The man behind the headset -- head coach Dick Jauron said "Owens is clearly a big part of the teams offense and that the ball needs to get to both him and teammate Lee Evans."

So far this year, Terrell has generated only 5 catches for 98 yards and 1 touchdown as a Bill. It's clear that T.O. is already unhappy in Buffalo after only his first 3-weeks with the team, but it's nice to see he refuses to fall into the trap of the media and play their silly mind games, as they would only make matters worse. Many think the media was a little harsh to Owens, as others think he was given a bit of his own medicine. You be the judge...

Cream of the Crop x Kevin Kolb

With Donovan McNabb out after the first week for the Philadelphia Eagles, it seemed like the next 2 weeks without him were going to be dreadful. Instead, the team has done quite well with their backup Kevin Kolb filling the void. In his first start against the New Orleans Saints, Kolb threw for 391 yards, despite losing the game 22-48. Week 3 however was a different story. Kolb again threw for over 300 yards, tallying up a total of 327 yards to go along with 2 touchdowns, in route of beating the Kansas City Chiefs 34-14.

Kolb became the first quarterback in NFL history to throw for 300 yards in his first two career starts. But in spite of all that, he'll have to return to the bench with McNabb set to return after Philadelphia's BYE week in week 4. Talk about a hard way to return the sidelines. But at least Eagles head coach Andy Reid will know who to call on if McNabb's fragile ribs happen to bother him again. After their BYE this week, McNabb will be expected to start at home against Tampa Bay.

San Francisco 49ers x Week 3 x Heartbreak Kid

Heading into today's game, the battle between both Adrian Peterson and Frank Gore was one to look forward to. However the result couldn't have been any further from those predictions as the running game had almost nothing to do with the game itself. The game got ugly quick for San Francisco, as 49ers running back Frank Gore was injured on his first and only run of the game. Gore was seen immediately after the play limping to the sideline before heading to the locker room to get checked on. Peterson on the other hand was kept touchdown-less and had his first sub 100-yard rushing game of the season.

As both teams headed into the locker room for halftime, the momentum was on the 49ers side, as they blocked a field-goal that was returned for a touchdown with time expiring giving San Francisco a 14-13 lead. After the half, both teams exchanged the lead, highlighted by a kick return Vikings rookie Percy Harvin ran back 101-yards deep for a touchdown. 49ers tight end Vernon Davis then led the way with a 20-yard touchdown reception with 8-minutes left in the game. The rest of the game all came down to the timing. San Francisco seemed to have had this one in the bag already, but with Brett Farve on the opposite side of the field, you never know what's going to happen. & The future hall of famer proved that by throwing and completing a 32-yard touchdown pass to Vikings receiver Greg Lewis, with 2-seconds remaining on the clock. The game winning reception was also Lewis' first catch of the season.

As heartbreaking as the loss was, coach Singletary nit-picked the positives and said it was good to taste, chew and swallow a loss now, rather than later on in the season. Another good thing was that all three other NFC West teams also lost, giving the Niners sole possession of first place in the division. Next week the 49ers hope to redeem themselves as they welcome the struggling St. Louis Rams to Candle Stick park. The Lambs are the only team in the division that remains win-less.

49er notables; QB Shaun Hill completed 15-passes out of 25-attempts, for 2-touchdowns and 1-interception. TE Vernon Davis had 7-receptions for 96-yards and 2-touchdowns.

Throwback Thursday x Jeter passes the Iron Horse

Growing up as a child and a fan of baseball and sports in general, you're either taught to root for or root against one specific team, and that team is the New York Yankees. Whether it's jealousy or plain 'ol hatred a fan has towards the most historic franchise in sports history, you've got to give credit where it's due. And that's in fact what I'm doing. In my younger years, I was one of those fans that would root for both my team and whoever was playing the Yankees. However there's often a certain player that you want to cheer for deep down inside and in this case that player happens to be Derek Jeter.

2 Weeks ago, Jeter reached a number that many great players only dreamt about. And before 1995 when Jeter made his debut, he was one of those dreamers. That number is the All-Time Yankees Hits record. A record that stood tall for 72 historical years. Although he's not the greatest hitter to ever play for the franchise, he's certainly one of the most popular and hard working. Whether or not you're a fan of Jeter's, his work ethic is one that anybody can appreciate. The guy goes out there and does what's expected of him day in and day out. There's no wonder why Jeter's been named the only Yankees captain in all of it's success. Sure he's made a debatable case for an MVP award (which most likely won't happen), but only a ring added to his collection would complete the perfect season.

Jeter's record breaking 2,722nd hit came off of Baltimore Orioles' Chris Tillman. The milestone took Jeter 44 less games than it took Gehrig to set the mark, which is a big surprise. But what surprises me most about the Yankees franchise and all their glory, is that despite all their legendary players, no Yankee has ever reached the 3,000 hit plateau. & At the age of 35 and no signs of slowing down, Jeter could be the first Yankee to reach the hallowed mark with what looks to be at least five more seasons ahead of him. Regardless, Jeter's name is now added to some elite company that includes such names as; Ruth, Mantle, and Gehrig. How about a tip of the hat to the captain, Congrats Jeter, you've earned it!

Even Sheriff's have to deal with the Law

Freedom of Speech my ass! It seems like in Sports you've got to keep your mouth shut these days, or at least watch what you say. Otherwise it could lead to a fine or suspension and in most cases, both. Golden State Warriors Forward Stephen Jackson had to learn the hard way and was the most recent athlete added to the list, as he's been fined by the NBA for addressing the fans and media via twitter that he wants to be traded. I guess it's like they say, you can't always get what you want... But let's see if Jackson pulls a 'Stephon Marbury' and sits out all season long until his wishes are granted.

Lamar Odom x The Candy Shop

Lamar Odom is on the hot seat for the second time in the past few months. The first decision he had to decide from, was whether or not he was going to re-sign with the Lakers. It took him awhile, but he made the right choice and signed a multi-year contract with the defending world champs. Now he's on the verge of bigger things, no put intended. After recently being linked with Kim Kardashian's bigger-little sister Khloe, the relationship between the two is already reaching it's climax. The two have only been dating for a few months and are already considering marriage.

Although nothings official, Chole's younger sister Courtney is getting married sometime soon and could lead to Lamar popping the big question in the mere future, a Las Vegas radio station confirmed. As a fan of Lamar and the Lakers, I'm hoping it doesn't go through. But if it does, hopefully he gets a prenup because this looks like a recipe for disaster. Since first hearing about the relationship between the two, I've been trying to brainstorm what the two might have in common besides liking to eat. Lamar has been dubbed the 'Candy Man' of the NBA for his excessive obsessions of candy and other junk food. But I'm guessing the couple met at Lamar's restaurant that he co-owns with celebrity skateboarder and reality T.V. star Rob Dyrdek. Either way I don't know what he was thinking, but I guess Dey-Dey said it best, "Fat bitches need love too Craig!"

San Francisco 49ers x Week 2 x Frank The Tank

Last week's win over the Arizona Cardinals was rather ugly. However, in week 2, the Niners seemed to be clicking on all cylinders. The passing game wasn't the most effective, but what the 9ers lacked in passing, they made up for by running the ball. Running back Frank Gore tallied over 246 total yards, 207 of them for rushing yards. He also added 2 touchdowns, both coming off rushes. After last week's close win in Arizona, the running game looked like it was in need of fixing. But all it really needed was a few open holes and a home crowd to back it up.

Gore set a career best by rushing 79-yards for a 1st quarter score. & It only took him another quarter to break that personal best, as he opened the second half of the game with an 80-yard touchdown run. Frank the Tank became the second player in NFL history to rush for two touchdowns 79-yards or more in a game, the other was Barry Sanders who did it back in the 90's. The Frank Gore of '06-'07 looked to have made his return, as the 49ers improved to a 2-0 record. Although it's still early in the season, opening up the season with 2-straight wins is big. Not to mention both of them coming against their own division.

The Niners will have their work cut out for them in week 3, as they visit Brett Favre and the Minnesota Vikings. With the way the Niners have been able to keep the opposing team's rushing game to a minimum, it'll be interesting to see how they do against the best running back in the game -- Adrian Peterson.

New York's loving them some Dirty Sanchez

Jets rookie quarterback Mark Sanchez is making a strong case for this year's Rookie of the Year award if he hasn't already. Although we're only 2 weeks into the NFL season, Sanchez has already made some big steps forward. Not only has he proved analysts and scouts that doubted him wrong, but he's already beat Jets rival Tom Brady and the Patriots on his first try. & With Michael Crabtree still being a bitch and 'holding out', Sanchez won't have too much competition to worry about. Then again Matt Stafford and the Detroit Lions who currently own a 19-game losing streak, could also make a worthy case for Rookie of the Year considerations... That's if they ever get into the win column this season.

Yeah, I'd like to order the McRibb please!

With the NFL season finally kicked off and week 1 in the books, there were tons of different stories and scores that could have made headlines but none came to mind as frequent as Donovan McNabb and the Eagles. McNabb's been known to have bad ribs over the past few years but coming into week 1, that wasn't a liability. Unfortunately McNabb suffered from yet another rib injury. This one coming after McNabb rushed for a 3-yard touchdown in the third quarter against the Carolina Panthers. As of right now, McNabb's status for Sunday's match-up against the New Orleans Saints is still unknown.

However the biggest let down of this whole ordeal is that even if McNabb is sidelined, Michael Vick wouldn't be the one substituting for him. We'd all love to see #7 take the field, but week 3 couldn't come any later for Vick and the Eagles. Instead it looks like Kevin Kolb who finished the game for McNabb on Sunday, will be the one in for the job if needed. Vick's been activated however, but is still serving his suspension that lasts until week 3, preventing him from making a debut we all would have enjoyed watching. Behind Kolb is newly acquired and once upon a time Philadelphia Eagle Jeff Garcia. Garcia could easily be the starter on many teams which gives the Eagles some of the best depth in the NFL at the quarterback position.

IT'S BACK x FOOTBALL SEASON

Finally, it's back! Usually around this time of year I have the same feeling for football season. I love to watch the sport and will sit threw whatever game no matter who's playing, but the season is a little more enjoyable when your teams competing. The first week has been an eventful one, but nothing comes before my beloved 49ers.

This past Sunday marked the beginning of a new era - The Singletary era. After taking over the team midway through the season last year where former head coach Mike Nolan left off, Coach Mike Singletary made an instant impact. It didn't take long before he made it clear that winning was not a top priority, but the only priority. With his strict play he brings that 'win or go home' mentality and that's what everyone including myself likes about him. The city of San Francisco is advertised via billboards with coach Singletary and a few of his popular sayings which came soon after his Niners coaching debut that ended in a 34-14 loss to the Seahawks. The loss also led to a temper tantrum filled interview where Singletary went on to rant "I WANT WINNERS!" From then on he stamped the team with a bit of attitude that had victory written all over it and helped turn the team around. San Francisco held a record of 2-5 upon his arrival and finished the season 7-9, 5-4 under Singletary.

And this past Sunday was no exception. The Niners were in Glendale to take on the defending NFC Champion Arizona Cardinals. The offense wasn't the most electric, but it didn't have to be. The defense held it's ground and shut Kurt Warner down forcing him to throw two costly interceptions. Did I forget to mention they did it all without an unsigned Michael Crabtree? This Sunday the Niners will make their home debut against their division rival - Seattle Seahawks. Or the Seattle Seachickens as we like to call them.

Throwback Thursday x Michael Jordan

This edition of Throwback Thursday's needs no further introduction as the name 'MJ' should be one known by everyone. I can go on for days writing about Michael Jordan and what impact he made on the NBA and the game of Basketball, but that's not necessary. Words can't describe what he did to help contribute to the game itself. The stamp Jordan made on the game of Basketball is similar to the one that of Babe Ruth for Baseball.

Growing up as a child I was never a fan of the Chicago Bulls, nor did I have to be, in order to be a fan of Michael. Like every other kid that grew up during his saga, I too wanted to 'Be Like Mike' & Space Jam was my favorite movie. I would sit days on end watching MJ and the rest of the Toon Squad take on the Monstars. There's no doubt Jordan has a collection of memories that would be hard to decide from, but his most current achievement would have to be his most memorable considering all of his career accomplishments have all led up to this moment -- his induction to the Basketball Hall of Fame. Congratulations #23 for your enshrinement. A 30-minute tribute will never describe the impact you've made on the game and the life's of many!

A.I. x Memphis Bound

Allen Iverson confirmed his decision to sign with the Memphis Grizzlies on Wednesday via Twitter. A.I. will sign a one year, $3.5 million deal within the next 24-48 hours. The deal will end a summer-long pursuit of a team for Iverson and will be his fourth team overall and third in the last three seasons. The Grizzlies have already proved over their off season that they're aiming to be contenders this upcoming season. Iverson will join a Memphis squad led by guard OJ Mayo. Other notables include Rudy Gay and newly acquired Zach Randolph. Not to mention their highly talented center they drafted in this year's NBA draft -- Hasheem Thabeet.

The Grizzlies are in need of some seats to be filled in their home forum, and Iverson should help do so. The 10-time NBA All-Star and former MVP should also help a bit with team merchandise. Despite Iverson's short tenure with the Pistons, his jersey was the fifth highest seller among individual jerseys trailing only Kobe Bryant, LeBron James, Chris Paul and Kevin Garnett. But don't go buying any Iverson jerseys just yet. It's likely he'll be playing elsewhere after this season.

Other than Memphis, Iverson didn't have much suitors after him this off season. Miami and Charlotte were said to be the others who showed interest. I personally would have liked to see Iverson, Dwayne Wade and Michael Beasley all playing together, but it looks like that won't happen. Along with Iverson, Wade will join a 2010 free-agent class headlined by other young stars such as LeBron James and Chris Bosh.

Lights Out x Shawne Merriman

Just when Shawne Merriman was looking forward to making his return to the football field, his off the field problems struck again. Over the weekend he and girlfriend/myspace whore Tila Nguyen aka Tila Tequila went out for a night on the town. After dinner and a few drinks later, Mrs. Tequila began giving Merriman lap-dances. However the main story happened after the couple made it home. Merriman passed out and was woken by Tila who was trying to leave the house. Merriman refused to let her leave and told reporters he was just looking out for her well being and worried that she was too drunk to drive home.

Tila's story is the complete opposite. Tila said she wasn't drunk at all, nor was she drinking that night. She claims Merriman began choking her and threw her around the house. That's when the cops were called. Merriman was accused of battery and false imprisonment. A lawyer for Merriman denied all charges. It seems to me like Mrs. Tila is in need of some more fame. I'm still weary on the whole story, but I don't blame him for keeping her from driving on the streets intoxicated, as I would do the same. Pictures are said to have been taken that prove Nguyen's injuries, but until I see them, I don't believe her.

The next bit of news waiting to be heard throughout this event, is whether or not Merriman will have to watch the Chargers game from afar instead of actually playing in it. There's no doubt the man's a controversy magnet, but I think the injury he had which sidelined him for all of last season was a big enough punishment. Merriman recently underwent surgery on his knee and had been working hard all off season to be ready for the upcoming season. However I wouldn't be surprised if Merriman was given some sort of suspension considering NFL commissioner Roger Goddell has a hay-day giving players suspensions for their off-field actions. & If Merriman is given a suspension, it'll pretty much sum up Merriman's future in a Chargers uniform as he'll be a free-agent next season. A possible suspension would also be a huge blow to the Chargers season as far as defense goes.

The 'Cheap' shot heard 'round the World

In one of my latest posts 'Child's Play x College Football' I brought up the new pre-game handshaking tradition the NCAA came up with to try and prevent fights from occurring. However, the aftermath of last weeks College Football opener between Oregon & Boise State was a perfect example of why the idea won't work. After Boise State held both the Ducks and their running back LeGarrette Blount to a minimum, an incident after the game stole headlines. With Boise State celebrating their victory, the Ducks began to walk off the field until Broncos defensive end Byron Hout had a few words to say to Blount as he was walking off the field. Hout struck Blount on the shoulder and taunted him just before getting restrained by Boise State head coach Chris Petersen. As Hout began to turn his head, Blount sucker punched him from the side causing him to fall down.

Blount then scuffled with a few of his teammates after they tried cooling him off. As he made his way to the visitors locker room, things only got uglier. Blount then had a shouting match with a few Boise State fans before trying to jump into the stands. That's when players, coaches and security had to put matters into their own hands, & drag Blount to the locker room. Not only was the game nationally televised on ESPN, but it was one of the bigger games of College Football's opening week. Heading into the game, LaGarrette Blount had a few things to say and talked about how they were going to beat the Broncos. The trash talk made it that much more bitter sweet for Boise State and their players after shutting down the Ducks offense.

Was it all worth it? Will be the question Blount will be asked for the rest of his life, as the punch led to a suspension for the remainder of the 2009 season. Not only will the incident affect both LeGarrette and his possible NFL future, but it'll be a huge blow to the Ducks offense. For the past few seasons, Blunt has been regarded as one of the best running back prospects of his class and drew comparisons to Michael Bush. Last season he ran for over 1,000 yards and scored a franchise record 17 touchdowns. Blunt was also known for being suspended a number of times for clashing with coaches on numerous occasions and for missing a number of workouts. Since the hand shaking thing doesn't look too promising, what's next on NCAA's to do list?

Throwback Thursday x Ronnie Lott

This edition of Throwback Thursday not only reminds us of one of the greatest defenders to take the field, but it also shows the swag he had while playing. Ronnie Lott, better known for his hard hitting days with the San Francisco 49ers from 1981-1990 is a 10x Pro Bowler and member of both the College Football Hall of Fame and Pro Football Hall of Fame. Lott is widely considered one of the best defensive backs in NFL history and is shown above playing in one of his many Pro Bowl's. Notice the Air Jordan IV's he has on.

Child's Play x College Football

With the start of the NFL regular season still weeks away, College Football is set to kick off with a handful of games today, headlined by the biggest game of the evening -- Oregon @ Boise State. However when it comes to rivalries, no sport rivalry is bigger than those held between Colleges. But no matter how much tension there will be in College Football this season, teams will have to show sportsmanship by shaking every players hands on the opposing team, rivals or not.

Officials are hoping this will prevent brawls from happening, among other things on the field. For the past decade, both captains from each team would shake hands and greet each other before the coin toss of every game. But now some think that's not enough. However I think sports are getting a little too soft nowadays. Not only do teams have to greet their opponents before they face off, but celebrating is also a no-no. We've seen it in college for awhile, but now that it's reached the NFL it's ridiculous. Sure spiking the ball and dancing around the end zone can get you brownie points, but it will also cost your team a 15-to-20 yard penalty depending on the outcome.

He's worth a pretty Penny

Less than a week ago, Brad Penny was released by the Boston Red Sox and was put on waivers. He found his destination within hours of the Monday deadline. After four seasons with the L.A. Dodgers, you kind of get the hang of playing your division rivals -- the San Francisco Giants. But now he'll be on the other side of the fence as far as the rivalry goes and he can't wait. He says he'd love to pitch against his former team and looks forward to facing those he once called his teammates. With the Giants season schedule nearing it's end and playoff hopes still at large, the two teams will meet two more times this season for a 3-game series in each city.

As odd as I found this signing, I thought who better to pick up than Brad Penny? Considering he knows the N.L. West very well. Not to mention we basically got him for peanuts. But despite not having pitched since August 21st, Penny made his Giants debut one to remember. Coming into tonight's game, Penny hadn't gone into the 8th inning since June 25th of 2007. Tonight he reached that mark in shutout fashion. Penny looked nothing like the pitcher who went 7-8 with a 5.61 ERA for the Red Sox. Instead he looked like the 2-time All-Star that won 16 games for the Dodgers just three seasons ago. & If Penny can continue to pitch like he did tonight, the thought of Randy Johnson not being able to pitch out of the rotation won't be as scary as it once was.


& While the Giants were busy introducing their newest arm, the Dodgers added a few pieces of their own to the puzzle. Left handed slugger Jim Thome and Righty Jon Garland. Sources say the Dodgers jumped at Thome to block the Giants from acquiring him. But being a former DH for so long and moving to the National League won't help. Thome reminded Dodgers GM Ned Colletti before he signed that he can't play first base. Which will give the Dodgers some pinch hitting power off the bench.

Noise Pollution x Cleveland's Own

Since it's been quite awhile since I've done a Music post, I thought what better time to do one than now. Earlier this week, LeBron James' documentary "More Than a Game" made headway and one of the featured singles off the soundtrack brings forth one of the most interesting collaborations of the year. The song "Forever" features a star-stubbed lineup of both Hip-Hop veterans and some of the hottest artists in the game today. Drake, Kanye West, Lil' Wayne, & Eminem have all came together for the first time to bring some straight fire that I thought I'd share.

I love how LeBron already has his own documentary out when he's yet to do anything. Then again, he did win an MVP last season. But if that's the case, where's Dirk Nowitzki's documentary? or Steve Nash's?