Random Sports Babbling Post 2

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We'll see how good they are come playoff time. I would put the Steelers ahead of them, regardless of record. Though if my boy Troy's knee is wrecked again, maybe not. The Pats are old. I'll give them alot of respect from their past seasons and accomplishments. they are the best team in the last 10 years, but that call would not of been made by many coaches, if at all by any other coach currently working in the NFL. It was gutsy, but still a bad call. Irregardless of whether they converted or not. My 1st instinct and I'm sure the 1st instinct of many watching the game, as they lined up on 4th down, was "What the heck are they doing?" The difference between 4th & 1 and 4th & 2 is huge. I'm not saying they should axe Belichik, he is the best coach in Football, hands down. But even the great ones make bad calls. This was Belichik's.

 

As a Steelers fan, I hope you're right. I unfortunately have to agree that they are not the same defense when Troy is out, and given that he hurt the same knee that cost him 4 games earlier this year, I fear that his knee might not be right all year.

I should again point out that I agree Belichick made the wrong decision. Given that the Pats lost the game, it is inarguable that he blew the call. I'm also not suggesting that these Pats are as good as the 07 Pats, but I hardly think that is a fair standard by which to measure them. They were the only team to go 16-0, and they set a record for points scored that year. 2007 was a historically good year by any measure, and to expect the same thing to happen again is a bit unrealistic. In fact, I'd go so far as to say that you typically do NOT get two chances to go undefeated with the same group of guys - just too much stuff has to fall your way for it to happen.

The only point I would disagree with you on is when you say the Pats are old. They shed a ton of their older defensive players the last two years (just look at who retired, were lost to free agency or were traded - Asante Samuel, Mike Vrabel, Rodney Harrison, Tedy Bruschi, Junior Seau, and Richard Seymor). Those guys were all 30 or older, and were all integral parts of their defense. I'm sure ther were other losses on defense of more marginal players, those are just the big names that spring immediately to mind. Their current defense is among the youngest units in the league. Moss is getting up there, but he's still among the best of the game, and early 30s isn't old by any measure for a QB - that's still in their prime.

 

Sorry Aldeth, I was referring to the offense, not the Defense about their age. Faulk, Taylor, their O-Line are old. Brady and Moss are no youngsters, though still good. But I found that call not just wrong, but brash as well. Typical of Belichik in that regard. But I still think he's an awesome coach, regardless. I would trade him for Reid anyday!

 

Took France to extra time and then Henry does TWO blatant handballs to make the winner. For ****'s sake. We missed so many chances, we really should have ended it a long time before.

 

As someone who does not follow soccer, would France still have gone to the WC if they had lost that match? For example, if it ended in a tie and went to a shootout, would France have been eliminated from the WC in the qualifying stage? Or would both France and Ireland have advanced if Ireland won?

 

OK, so either France OR Ireland could go to the WC, but not both?

 

There go Henry's lucrative endorsement contracts. His name is mud now.

 

IMO there's only one person to blame and that is the referee. Ok, Henrys handballs were intentional, but it's not his job to make those calls. What should he have done in the situation, stop playing or what? Still, an ugly incident - too bad there's nothing to be done anymore. Rematch would be more than justified, but the game just doesn't work that way. I don't know if France could technically refuse to play in the World Cup.

 

With Ronnie Brown out and Carolina slowly improving, I thought the Panthers would of came out ahead last night. But Ricky Williams and the Miami offensive line were golden. They had plus yards on almost every carry which Carolina put 8 men in the box. Smashmouth football.

It's a real shame Williams career went the way of "Dazed and Confused". But he's back on track and a very good RB. Only if Miami had a QB, they would be a contender.

 

I'm getting well and truly fed up with the coverage of the handball at this stage. Yes, it was completely blatant and how the linesman who had a clear view of it didn't see it I don't know. But it was just one of those stupid instinctual fouls that you do without thinking, Henry didn't think about it. It was hardly like, say, Anelka's dive five minutes earlier. Talk of replaying the match is ridiculous, I certainly wouldn't be complaining if it happened at the other end.

 

I agree with Kullervo - how is the missed call Henry's fault? Unless you think he had foreknowledge and knew he could do it and get away with it, the fault lies with the ref.

 

The whole idea of a replay was moot from the start. The ref's calls are final, as per FIFA guidelines. Imagine them trying that one in a SuperBowl game. After a review to boot! "Oh no! The ref missed the call!" It happens in every sport, all of the time. It really does suck for the Irish, but the ref's judgement is part of the game, just like most sports. This was the one time when they could used a replay though, like the NFL. That would've obviously been overturned then. Too bad they don't implement the technology in FIFA.

 

There's two big problems with bringing replays into football:

1. At present the exact same rules apply from a World Cup final to a local under 7's match. Which is nice.

2. Football doesn't have the same breaks in play as in other sports, even if there is a big incident. Obviously that doesn't apply to the handball but for stuff like dives it does matter. If the ball isn't dead then the defending team would usually have a great counterattacking opportunity. If you stop the game for a replay then they lose this.

 

I would think that the first point would be a plus for replay. Officials at different events are all working from the same rule book.

On the second point, you could limit replays to calls that would result in a dead ball. For the Ireland-France match, since there was a goal scored immediately thereafter, there was a break in play anyway.

 

Very satisfying conclusion to the Great Alaskan Shootout for my WSU Cougars. They won the championship game by a huge margin (30+), though against fairly questionable competition. Furthermore the play of Klay Thompson continues to be reason to smile with him scoring 28.3 ppg (6 games) with a 56.3FG% including 21-37 (56.8%) from 3pt range. Not to mention that he has scored 37 in one game and 43 in another. With the consistency of having at least 10 points in every half this season.

Too bad if he keeps this up he'll be gone at the end of the year.

 

Arrgh! Yesterday was the Grey Cup, which is Canada’s version of the Super Bowl. Saskatchewan vs. Montreal. Saskatchewan played a very good first half, not so great a second half, but Montreal never held the lead throughout the whole game. They got to within 2 points with a couple of seconds left in the game, and tried a 43 yard field goal. It was wide, which means the Saskatchewan wins, but Saskatchewan took a penalty for, of all the idiotic things, too many men on the field. Montreal gets another shot, this time from the 33, and makes it, winning 28-27. I was cheering for Saskatchewan, but they’re not “my team”, so I was only mildly upset. Oh well, Montreal was the better team throughout the season, so I suppose it’s only fitting that they won, but still…

 

How 'bout them Bears?

It was good to watch them get spanked yesterday. I might have to watch tonight's game -- football and yardwork are my two good excuses to have that second beer without Mrs Bruno getting upset. She's upset far too often as it is....