Wednesday, November 30, 2011

A Bully Named Suh

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Since being drafted 2nd overall out of the University of Nebraska in 2010, Ndamukong Suh has single-handedly transformed the Detroit Lions defensive line into a force to be reckoned with and has put fear into quarterbacks like only a few other players have. But it's his temper and bad decisions on the field that has overshadowed his dazzling play. In only his second year in the league, Suh has already compiled a number of unsportsmanlike antics that have hurt both his wallet and now his team. His most recent incident however might be his worst yet.

While hosting the defending Super Bowl Champion Green Bay Packers in front of a national television audience on Thanksgiving, Suh added another eyebrow-raising decision to his resume by stomping on the arm of Packers offensive lineman Evan Dietrich-Smith while he was on the ground. The WWE-like stomp which took place in the third quarter resulted in an ejection as Suh watched the rest of the game from the locker room as the Packers went on to route the Lions by a score of 27-15 to improve on their perfect season.
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The timing of Suh's actions do come as somewhat of a surprise given it was only a few weeks ago when Suh requested to meet with commissioner Goodell in person to discuss how he should properly go about conducting himself on the field to avoid being dealt penalties as well as another fine after already receiving $42,000 worth of fines over the last 15 months. But if money isn't getting Suh's attention perhaps the loss of playing time will as the league office has issued out a two game suspension without pay to the reigning Defensive Rookie of the Year. And with the playoffs only six weeks away, Suh's suspension could prove to be costly for his teams playoff hopes as Detroit is currently trying to hold off the Atlanta Falcons and Chicago Bears for a position in the NFC Wild Card.

Though the Lions have only gotten better since Suh's arrival, his image on the other hand has continued to take a blow as it comes as no surprise Suh was ranked the league's dirtiest player according to a poll taken by the players earlier this year. Suh's explanation and comments for his actions following the game were also questionable as he issued an apology to his teammates, the organization and the fans, but refused to apologize to Dietrich-Smith as well as admit to his wrongdoing. In a post-game interview Suh claimed he had done nothing wrong and denied the stomp saying he was trying to regain his balance. Suh's presence will be most missed this upcoming week when the Lions pay a trip to the Superdome where they'll face a tough New Orleans Saints squad.

Leading the NFL with nine personal fouls under his belt this season, Suh will soon be the most supervised player in the league when he returns to the football field in week 15 to take on the Raiders, replacing last year's bully in James Harrison.



Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Thursday, November 24, 2011

Harbaugh Family Reunion

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With week 11 in the NFL coming to an end the table is officially set for Thanksgiving and I'm not talking about a turkey dinner. While everyone will be treated to the more traditional Dolphins-Cowboys and Packers-Lions games that for the first time in over a decade will showcase a relevant Detroit team, it's the later game that everyone including myself is looking forward to. An inner-conference match-up between two defensive minded heavyweights the Baltimore Ravens and the San Francisco 49ers which will feature brothers John and Jim Harbaugh facing one another in what's unofficially being dubbed the Har-Bowl.

Not only is the match up intriguing for the fact that both teams rank among the best in the league in defense, but also because it'll be the first time in NFL history that two brothers at the head coaching position will oppose one another. First year head coach Jim Harbaugh will be taking his 9-1 49ers team across the country to Baltimore where older brother John Harbaugh will look to spoil Thanksgiving for his younger brother and hand Jim his second loss of the season while hoping to improve his own teams record to 8-3. Having shared a bedroom together for over 18 years growing up in the same household there was a lot of tempers flaring between the Harbaugh brothers and come Thursday evening we can expect to see that same type of hostility carry onto the field as they both try to coach their team to victory in what should be nothing short of a hard-hitting melee.

Catch the Thanksgiving showdown on NFL Network at 5 p.m.



Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Monday, November 21, 2011

Tebow's Late Game Heroics

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In case you haven't overdosed just yet on all the attention the media has shown Broncos QB Tim Tebow, the former Heisman Trophy winner once again dazzled the critics this past Thursday to steal the spotlight. Since week 7 against the Miami Dolphins when Denver's head coach Jim Fox promoted Tebow as the starting quarterback over Kyle Orton who led the team to a sluggish 1-4 start, Tebow has helped turnaround the Broncos season in ways most didn't think he was capable of. Despite failing to meet the standards of a traditional quarterback, Tebow has led his team to three consecutive victories and a total of four wins in five games with their only loss coming against a Detroit Lions team that has solidified themselves as one of the more surprising teams in the NFL this season.

Considering his successful career at the collegiate level which ranks as one of the all-time greats, it's not the winning Tebow's done that has surprised everyone, but rather the manner in which he's doing it. Just last week in Kansas City facing the division rival Chiefs, Tebow and the Broncos managed to pull within a game of .500 with limited production via the passing game as Tebow needed only two completed passes to pull out the 17-10 win. One of those completed passes being a 56-yard touchdown to wide receiver Eric Decker as Tebow finished the game with a total of 69 yards passing. But just when you thought you've seen the last of Tebow's Cinderella-like antics he did it again.

Up against one of the leagues better defenses in the New York Jets, the Denver Broncos had the odds stacked against them and their abnormal offensive style. After three and a half quarters of mediocrity that saw the Broncos cause limited damage down 14-10 with just under 6 minutes remaining on the game clock, it would soon be Tebow time. Having made a trend out of comebacks late in the game with the clock against him, Tebow would once again come alive in the fourth quarter, this time doing his best work yet putting together a 95-yard drive and scoring the game-winning touchdown on a 20-yard run with just 58 seconds to spare. Facing both a four point deficit and a game clock with under a minute left would prove to be too much for Mark Sanchez and the Jets to overcome as the Broncos went on to win, 17-14, improving their record to an even 5-5 on the year.

Following the game, teammate and go to receiver Eric Decker said of his quarterback's late game heroics, "He just gets better later in the game. He's got that it factor." Another thing Tebow's got is a will to win. Regardless of his often criticized mechanics and unconventional ways the man knows how to do what's most important of all -- find a way to win. With that being said I think it's about time the rest of the AFC Western Division took Tebow seriously.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Thursday, November 17, 2011

The Melkman To Deliver For Giants In 2012

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With most teams waiting until the Winter Meetings to offer deals to marquee free agents and complete transactions, the San Francisco Giants have decided to make an early splash by way of the trade. Though it's taken them nearly two years to do it, the Giants have finally gotten rid of left-hander pitcher Jonathan Sanchez. Stellar at times including during the postseason in which he helped the franchise bring their first ever World Series title to San Francisco since the team migrated out west from New York in 1956 and hard to watch during others, Sanchez had an up and down stint with the Giants. Finishing the year with a low win-loss record of 4-7 mainly due to an injury plagued season, Sanchez suffered from a higher than average walks per 9 innings pitched ratio which ranks at the very top since 2009 with a minimum of 300 IP at 4.91. When healthy however, Sanchez has proven he can pile up strikeouts as he finished his 2010 campaign with 205 K's.

With the ace like potential the Giants saw in Sanchez when they drafted him out of his native Puerto Rico in the 2004 MLB Draft, Giants GM Brian Sabean eventually thought that ship had sailed and finally pulled the trigger by dealing the soon to be 29 year old to the Kansas City Royals in exchange for Melky Cabrera who's coming off a breakout year in which he set career-highs in batting average (.305), runs scored (102), hits (201), doubles (44), home runs (18), RBI's (87) and stolen bases (20). At age 27, Cabrera has logged seven big league seasons and has played for the Yankees and Braves before signing with Kansas City as a free-agent in 2011. The deal helps improve both team's in areas that are in need of addressing as the Royals add another much needed arm to their rotation as well as part ways with Cabrera to allow one of their young prospects to step up.
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With such studs as Billy Butler, Alex Gordon, Eric Hosmer and Mike Moustakas on offense just to name a few, the Royals appear to be the next rising franchise in many ways like the Tampa Bay Rays were in '08. The only thing missing of coarse is the pitching which the ball club hopes the arrival of Sanchez will help upgrade. Meanwhile, the Giants who have been the complete opposite and have been rich in pitching but starving of offense for the past few seasons now acquire a solid bat that they feel will help up rise their lineup and generate some offense. Still seeking a power hitter to plug into the offense I think it's safe to say we can be expecting another acquisition or two in the coming months with players such as Carlos Beltran, Jose Reyes and Jimmy Rollins all viable options.

Hitting isn't the only thing on Giants GM Brian Sabean's mind as the ball club also dished out extensions to two of their key cogs in the bullpen -- lefties Javier Lopez (2-year, $8.5 Million) and Jeremy Affeldt (1-year, $5 Million). With experience at all three outfield positions Cabrera will more than likely man the same center field position he took over in Kansas City, a position that was shared last year between Aaron Rowand and Andres Torres for the Giants. Though I'm happy we were finally able to part ways with Sanchez, I do think Sabean and company waited a bit too long in making a deal and should have drafted him following the 2010 season when his stock was at its highest.

Sanchez will be most remembered for his no-hitter against the San Diego Padres in 2009 which put an end to a 33 year drought without a Giants no-hitter.

Wednesday, November 16, 2011

Houston, We Have A Problem

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Since joining the NFL as an expansion team in 2002, the Houston Texans have had little to cheer about finishing third or worse in the division in all but one season when they finished second in 2009 behind the arch rival Indianapolis Colts. But with the Colts suffering without their franchise quarterback and still seeking their first win of the season, the Texans have taken advantage by compiling an overall record of 7-3 which is tied for tops in the AFC and finally appear to be in a favorable position to make their first playoff trip in franchise history. Those chances were dealt a huge blow this past weekend however, when the team learned after their 37-9 win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers that they'll be without their Pro Bowl QB Matt Schaub for the rest of the season.

During the first half of Sunday's victory in Tampa Bay, Matt Schaub and the Houston offense tried a quarterback sneak when pinned on their own goal line when Schaub's foot got caught underneath a pile of Buccaneers defensemen, injuring his foot in the process. Schaub would stay in the game, but only threw three passes in the second half as Arian Foster and the Texans ground attack carried the rest of the load on offense. Taking over for the injured Schaub following Houston's BYE week this weekend will be Matt Leinart who hasn't started a game since 2009 while a member of the Arizona Cardinals. Leinart, a former Heisman Trophy winner at the University of Southern California, hasn't had the most successful career in the NFL since being selected 10th overall in the 2006 Draft and has only seen limited playing time after suffering a broken collarbone in 2007 which eventually led to Kurt Warner taking over the starting position in Arizona.
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The timing of Schaub's injury couldn't be any worse. Not that any time is good for a player to endure an injury, but the injury to Schaub is especially unfortunate with the team expecting to welcome back in time for their next game Pro Bowl wide out Andre Johnson who's missed the last six games due to a hamstring injury he sustained in early October. The absence of Schaub also severely hurts Houston's chances of succeeding in the playoffs assuming they make it there. If the Texans hang on to win their first ever division title and clinch a playoff spot for the first time in franchise history, a trip back to the playoffs might not be something Houston experiences for another several years considering this season has been the first season in which they haven't had to worry about the Peyton Manning-led Indianapolis Colts. With the 4-time MVP Manning expected to be at full strength come next season it's unlikely the Texans will have as easy a chance to taste postseason success as they do this year.

Even with Schaub sidelined for the remainder of the year the team should be able to survive the season off their dominant run game and stingy defense, both of which rank among the best in the league and have carried the Texans to where they are now.


Follow me on Twitter @FraserKnowsBest

Monday, November 14, 2011

Harbaugh Coaching The 49ers Back To Glory

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Through the first ten weeks of the NFL season no team has made a bigger turnaround than the San Francisco 49ers. After claiming their most recent victim earlier today routing the New York Giants by a final score of 27-20, the 49ers currently sit in the drivers seat in the NFC Western Division with an overall record of 8-1 and have already won more games this season than most experts predicted they'd win as well as eclipsing their win total from last year (6-10). Much of the credit for San Francisco's sudden success goes to head coach Jim Harbaugh who in his first year at the helm is slowly transforming the 49ers back into the proud franchise that made a habit out of winning during the early 80's and on into the 90's.

After taking over a depleted program at Stanford in which he helped rebuild and form what it is today, the 49ers knew what coach Harbaugh could bring to the table and they made him aware of that by offering him a 5-year, $25 Million deal during the offseason. The one thing Harbaugh has done since taking over the job other than winning of coarse is making believers out of his players most notably his quarterback Alex Smith. While many were beginning to write off the six-year QB Smith who entered the offseason a free-agent for the first time in his career, Harbaugh, a former quarterback during his playing days saw what few others saw in Alex Smith -- a second chance. Re-signing the former first overall pick of the 2005 NFL Draft was one of the first things atop Jim Harbaugh's to-do list when he landed the job and so far it's worked out quite well as Harbaugh has been able to groom Smith into the quarterback they thought they were drafting nearly seven years ago.

Though Smith hasn't put up the MVP-like numbers you'd expect from an 8-1 team, he's played smart football thus far and has avoided the forced throws and bad decisions that have haunted him throughout his professional career. And with a Pro Bowl running back in Frank Gore the burden is somewhat relieved on offense. Gore who was awarded a contract extension earlier this year has put together one of finest month and halves by any 49er running back in franchise history, logging a club record five consecutive games with at least 100 yards rushing. Even more impressive than San Francisco's offense is their defense. Led by one of the youngest and most lethal linebacker tandems in all of football, Patrick Willis and Navarro Bowman, the 49er D ranks number one at stopping the run and has worked it's way up the latter in just about every single other statistical category as well.

Coming from someone like myself who's grown up a diehard 49ers fan, I can't begin to put into perspective just how impressive Harbaugh has coached this team considering the lockout-shortened offseason that did nothing but serve as an inconvenience to him and his new squad. But anyone on coach Harbaugh's coaching staff would tell you that he's not yet satisfied with the results and that there's still room for improvement as the playoffs near. Follow the team's journey as the season progresses as they get set to host the division rival Arizona Cardinals next week in San Francisco in hopes of improving their 8-1 record that ranks second in the league to only the undefeated Green Bay Packers.


Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Friday, November 11, 2011

Week 9: 49ers Continue to dominate on the road, route Skins, 19-11.

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Seeking their first six game winning streak since the 1997 season, the 6-1 49ers payed a visit to our nation's capital to face the 3-4 Washington Redskins in hopes of improving their undefeated mark away from Candlestick Park to 4-0. After a back and forth first quarter highlighted by three and outs, sacks and a John Beck interception, San Francisco's David Akers would begin what ended up being a busy day for the Pro-Bowl kicker who connected for the first of four field goals on the day to give the 49ers a 3-0 lead following the pick. Though neither team would showcase much offense in the first half, the Redskins knack for fumbling the ball wouldn't help their case.

After another David Akers field goal, the Skins would give the ball right back as backup running back Roy Helu was met by Pro Bowl linebacker Patrick Willis who forced a fumble that would be recovered by the San Francisco D. The miscue would prove to be costly for Washington as Alex Smith capitalized on the turnover with a play-action pass finding his rookie fullback Bruce Miller wide open along the sideline for a 30 yard touchdown to put the 49ers on top, 13-0. After watching his team get shutout for the first time in his ?-year coaching career the week before against the Bills, Redskins kicker Gharam Gano made sure it wouldn't happen in back-to-back weeks as he set a franchise record with a 59 yard field goal to put his team on the board, trailing 13-3 at the half.
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With little offense to show for in the first half, the second half would feature even less offense. Other than a pair of David Akers field goals which made it a 16-point game, the 49ers were kept in check on offense for the most part. With the clock dwindling down passed the two minute warning, John Beck and company would finally gather together a decent drive. On what appeared to be a rather lethargic drive on defense by the 49ers, Beck capped it off by reaching the end zone relatively easy connecting with an uncovered Jabar Gaffney 9 yards out for a touchdown. Washington would successfully convert on a two-point conversion to make it a one possession game. The clock, however, would prove to be a factor as coach Shanahan was forced to attempt an on-side kick with just over a minute remaining. Washington would fail to recover the ball and all Alex Smith needed to do was take a knee to give his team the victory.

The 19-11 final score made for another sloppy win for the 49ers, but a win nonetheless as Jm Harbaugh's team improved to 7-1 on the year, their best start since 1997. Though he didn't awe us with his numbers, Alex Smith managed to compile 200 yards through the air and a touchdown while playing mistake-free football. As for the running game, unlike in weeks passed Frank Gore didn't dominate like we've grown accustomed to seeing, but he did manage another 100 yard game, becoming the first 49er in franchise history to amass five consecutive games of 100 yards rushing.
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Week 10 Preview
With the Washington Redskins posing little threat against what's become one of the best defenses in the league, the 49ers will have their work cut out for them in Week 10 as they get set to host a red-hot New York Giants team coming off a last minute victory against the New England Patriots. With running back Ahmad Bradshaw expected to miss the game due to injury, the Giants will look to attack through the air led by first-half MVP candidate Eli Manning.


Prediction: 49ers win a close one at home in a back and forth melee, 24-20.

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

You Can't Spell Elite Without Eli

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With all the hoopla in the NFL revolving around Peyton Manning and the horrific season the Indianapolis Colts are having without him, the league has payed little attention to Peyton's younger brother Eli Manning who's having himself a stellar year to say the least and is flying under the radar while doing it. Eli the younger of the Manning brothers by four years made a strong case to be considered among the game's elite quarterbacks this past Sunday by defeating Tom Brady and the New England Patriots in their own stadium, leading the Giants on a game-winning drive with just seconds to spare. The 24-20 win in Foxborough was reminiscent of Super Bowl XLII when Manning led his team on a similar drive against these same Patriots, finding a wide-open Plaxico Burress in the end zone with less than a minute remaining to eventually defeat and upset the Patriots by a final score of 17-14.

After failing to avenge their loss in what's been known as the biggest upset in Super Bowl history, New England fell to 5-3 on the year tying them with the New York Jets. Meanwhile the other New York team the Jets share their home stadium with improved to an overall record of 6-2 on the year giving them a two game lead over the rival 4-4 Dallas Cowboys in the NFC Eastern Division. With an above average defense that's notorious for pressuring the quarterback and a running game just as strong as the passing game when both Ahmad Bradshaw and Brandon Jacobs are healthy I think the New York Giants are the one team that can cause trouble for the Green Bay Packers who at 8-0 are currently looking at a bid at a perfect season. Though Aaron Rodgers and the Packers still have to face the daunting task of playing the Detroit Lions twice this year, if anyone can out duel or play up to par with Rodgers I think it's Manning. We'll find out if that's the case as both teams are slated to meet in Week 13 @ New York.


Be sure to Follow me on Twitter: @FraserKnowsBest

Tuesday, November 8, 2011

Week 8: 49ers, Gore chew up Browns, 20-10.

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Rundown: Heading into Week 8 many predicted the effects from a BYE week the week before would show early on and slow down what came in a red-hot 49ers team. But once the game started that couldn't have been any further from the truth as they carried that momentum on into Sunday's game during the early going against a 3-3 Cleveland Browns squad. With San Francisco winning the coin-toss and differing, the 49ers defense did what it's done all season long -- forcing turnovers. On only the second play of the game the stingy 49er D would force and recover a fumble thanks to Ahmad Brooks. With a chance to capitalize on the turnover Alex Smith would waste no time to take advantage of the opportunity handing the ball off to running back Frank Gore who punched it into the end zone from 4 yards out.

With their Pro-Bowl caliber running back Peyton Hillis hampered with an injury the Browns running game was in for a world of hurt facing the number one run defense in the league. With limited damage being done on the ground Cleveland was forced to try their luck through the air with QB Colt McCoy. He too would struggle, however, throwing an interception fumbling the ball a total of four times on the day including three fumbles in the first half alone. Once again turning turnovers into points, Alex Smith found an untouched Michael Crabtree in the end zone following a David Akers field goal to give San Francisco a 17-0 lead. Having been shut down on offense for the most part, Cleveland would eventually get on the board before the end of the first half as kicker Phil Dawson split the uprights from 52-yards out to make it a 14-point game at the half.
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The second half would be a microcosm of the first half on offense for the 49ers as neither team scored. With a decently productive first half it was almost as if Alex Smith and company had left their offense in the locker room. The Browns on the other hand would finally make some noise as McCoy found a hole for wide-out Joshua Cribbs who made it 17-10 with a 45-yard touchdown reception. The rest of the game would be all about Frank Gore. After compiling over a 100 yards in the first half alone, Gore would collect a few more yards to help him move along the latter of Niners all-time leading rushers as he surpassed Roger Craig for no. 2 on the list before finishing the game with a total of 134 rushing yards to go along with his touchdown. The impressive performance was also his fourth straight game with at least 125 yards and a touchdown.

Though he didn't have the biggest game through the air, Alex Smith did what he needed to and distributed the ball well amongst his team including a pass to not one, but two of his linemen as both Joe Staley and Isaac Sapoaga hauled in catches of 15+ yards. Kicker David Akers would make it a two possession game with a late field-goal to put the game away for good as the 49ers went on to route the Browns by a final score of 20-10. The win helped San Francisco improve to their best start since 1998 at 6-1 and increasing their lead in the division.

Week 9 Preview: In Week 9 the 49ers make a trip to the nations capital to face the 3-4 Washington Redskins.

Prediction: The 49ers roll on the road 24-10

Monday, November 7, 2011

The Day The Basketball World Stood Still

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On this day 20 years ago Ervin "Magic" Johnson held a live press conference in front of a television audience where he broke the shocking news that forever changed the Basketball landscape and the way we look at life. Living the life of a rock star who won a state championship while in high school, a national championship in college and 5-NBA titles with the Showtime Lakers, Magic was at the pinnacle of basketball immortality. However, one year removed from his third MVP award it would all come to an abrupt stop when it was learned that the 12-time All-Star had tested positive for HIV. At the age of 32 which is still considered to be young in the sport of basketball, Johnson was forced to walk away and retire from the game he so truly loved only several games into the '91-'92 season in fear of spreading the virus to his teammates and fellow players.

Though he would later make a return to the court to star in the 1992 All-Star Game and play for the '92 US men's Basketball team which won the gold medal and became famously known as the "Dream Team", Johnson's days on the court ended all too soon. After the 1993-94 season in which Magic unsuccessfully coached the Lakers to a 33-49 record and failed to make the playoffs, Johnson staged a final comeback during the last 32 games of the season before being eliminated in the first round of the playoffs and retiring for good. Despite the hardships that have altered the life of both he and his loved ones, Johnson has refused to surrender to adversity and let the ongoing fight with his deadly disease tarnish his journey in life.
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Having been diagnosed with the virus for 20 years now at the age of 52, the Hall of Fame inductee Johnson serves as an integral advocate and contributor in the HIV community off the court much like he did on the court. Founder of the Magic Johnson Foundation that helps combat the disease, Ervin is one of the greatest players to ever step foot on the hardwood despite having his playing days cut short. Looking back at what will forever be remembered as one of the darkest days in the history of sports, calling Magic Johnson a warrior for his continued battle would be an understatement as he serves as an inspiration to us all.

Wednesday, November 2, 2011

2011 Fall Classic - A Series To Remember

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After pulling off one of the most improbable runs during a pennant race and squeaking passed the Atlanta Braves by a mere one game in the wild card on the final day of the regular season, the St. Louis Cardinals continued their late season dominance into the postseason and beyond. Facing a highly favored Texas Rangers ball club that was making its second World Series appearance in as many years, the Cardinals' miraculous run coming to an end was almost inevitable. One win away from winning their first ever World Series title and sending the Red Birds packing, the Rangers went into the final frame of game 6 needing only one out as Texas' closer Neftali Feliz stood on the mound with a 7-5 lead to face a kid raised in St. Louis by the name of David Freese. Little did he know he'd go from hometown kid to hometown hero in a matter of seconds for his late-game heroics.

Down to his final strike in a 1-2 count with two men on and two outs in the 9th inning, Freese hit a game-tying 2-run triple just out of Nelson Cruz's reach in right field to force the game into extra innings. With some breathing room for the first time since the games early going, the Cardinals appeared to have stolen all the momentum as the game went into the 10th inning. That was until the Rangers' All-Star sluggerstepped up to the plate. Josh Hamilton who was stuck in a homer-less drought in his last 82 at-bats picked the perfect time to connect for his first when he hit a 2-run home run off St. Louis' closer Ryan Motte to once again give Texas the lead and a shot at slamming the door for good. Former Rangers great and now owner of the ball club Nolan Ryan thought that would for sure be the outcome as he and his wife began celebrating in the stands as Hamilton rounded the bases. But even that lead would be evaporated by yet another St. Louis rally.
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An RBI ground out by Ryan Theriot and an RBI single by Lance Berkman in the bottom half of the inning would tie the game at 9,eventually setting up the hometown kid for an encore. In the 11th inning, Freese, the 28 year old kid who started it all by tying the game up in the 9th would come up big yet again this time winning it with a walk-off home run to deep center field. It was then that you almost knew the Cardinals winning it all was destiny. And with a former Cy Young Award winner on the mound at home in game 7, the Rangers didn't stand a punchers chance as skipper Ron Washington decided to stick to his guns and counter with the less experienced Matt Harrison. In a less thrilling final game that lacked the back and forth excitement and late-game heroics that game 6 had to offer, the Cardinals eventually went on to defeat the Rangers in route to a 6-2 win, giving St. Louis their NL leading 11th World Series title second to only the New York Yankees (27). Meanwhile the Rangers became only the 8th team in MLB history to lose back-to-back World Series'.

For the casual fan of baseball there's no way you could've scripted a better outcome coming into the year than the one that transpired before our very eyes. Not only were the Cardinals long shots to win it all, but the fashion they did it in is just mind boggling. Not to mention a legend would be born in October by the name of David Freese who so fittingly was named World Series MVP after taking home NLCS MVP honors and setting a record for the most RBI's in a single postseason by driving in 21 runs.
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Though nobody saw the Cardinals reigning supreme or Freese's out of the blue success prior to the season, the biggest shocker of them all has gotta be the decision of one Tony LaRussa. Having been at the helm for 16 years in St. Louis where he won two of his three World Series rings, the 67 year old LaRussa stunned the baseball world on Monday by announcing his sudden retirement only three days after winning it all. What makes his decision to hang em up so surprising is that he's never expressed a possible retirement in the past. In addition, no Major League manager has ever walked away from the game after winning a World Series in the same year making LaRussa the first. Currently third on the all-time list of winningest managers with 2,728 wins, LaRussa being inducted into Cooperstown in a no-brainer. The biggest question mark regarding LaRussa's departure, however, is if it'll have any lasting impact on Albert Pujols' decision as the 9-time All-Star gets set to hit the free-agent market. After all, LaRussa is the only manager Pujols has played under in his entire career.

Tuesday, November 1, 2011

Iverson, Owens eying work

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In this day and age where everyone feels the need to have to compare people to one another, allow me to be the one who makes the eyebrow-raising comparison between Allen Iverson and Terrell Owens. Not because they're both future Hall of Famers in their respective sports and go by their initials (A.I. & T.O.), but because they're both in their mid to late 30's and are eying a comeback despite being shown little to no interest thus far.

Since being selected as the number one overall pick by the Philadelphia 76ers in the 1996 NBA Draft, Iverson has been one of the most prolific scorers in the history of the game. And though he's never won an NBA Championship, his trophy case is anything but empty having won four NBA scoring titles, two All-Star Game MVP awards, a league MVP award as well as a Rookie of the Year award. The last few years, however, have been anything but All-Star worthy for the 36-year old guard. Following his 15-year tenure in the NBA which saw 11-All-Star appearances, Iverson signed a 2-year deal to play ball overseas in the Turkish Basketball League where he helped sell tickets and was promised more playing time, something he wasn't getting enough of back in the states.
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But as of this week Iverson is hoping to return to the NBA and has told the media that he's willing to play for anybody in any role including coming off the bench, something he didn't take too kindly of before which eventually factored in his decision to head to Turkey. His timing, however, couldn't be worse granted both the owners and Players Association are in the middle of a labor dispute which has seen little to no progress up to this point with the Commissioner recently announcing the cancellation of games up to November 30. And if the unsettled labor negotiations aren't enough to put a dent in his possible return to the NBA perhaps the fact that he's nearly two years removed from his last NBA game will do the trick.

Meanwhile on the football field, Terrell Owens who's been one of the most dominant receivers in the history of the game is trying to awe scouts in hopes of landing a spot on an NFL roster before it's too late. Earlier this week Owens held a workout in southern California where camera crews caught the 37 year old wide-out running routes and catching passes. But other than the handful of reporters and friends, T.O.'s guest list was limited as no team scouts were in attendance. Much to blame for the empty sidelines is the surgery he had in April to repair a torn ACL suffered during the offseason. Despite there being no scouts or team's actually at T.O.'s workout in person, Owens told reporters that he definitely feels that there are interested teams out there and all they've gotta do is see the footage.
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Though he still remains jobless up to this point, T.O.'s job hunting hasn't been a complete disappointment. In fact the Chicago Rush of the Arena Football League have reached out to Owens but according to his agent Drew Rosenhaus the team isn't on his wish-list. Rosenhaus also said that if his client doesn't sign with a team this year that he'll try his luck next season as well. Something I see being even less likely to happen than signing with a team this year. Earlier this month Owens held what many thought was a retirement speech in front of a live television crew before pranking those on the set and admitting it was all a joke.

Given the notorious reputation Owens has garnered over the years as being a virus both on the sidelines and in the locker room as well as being somewhat of a drama queen for calling out his fellow teammates most notably his quarterback, it wouldn't be a complete surprise if he were to remain a free-agent. What would be surprising, however, is if he didn't even receive a single phone call by an NFL team. To his defense, the man can still play and put up numbers as he proved last season in Cincinnati where he led the team in receiving. While team's like the Oakland Raiders, Washington Redskins and Chicago Bears are all competing for a playoff spot in spite of lacking a productive receiver, I don't see why either team would not try and sign a veteran like Owens.

With the odds of a possible return in neither Iverson nor Owens' favor at this point, which athlete would you care to see more and which do you think has a greater chance at staging a comeback?