wow! Crazy AFC!!
If the playoffs started today The Titans would be 6-5 and miss the playoffs. If they started LAST week ... they would have won the division and been the Number Two seed! I read that stat from U.S.A. Today.

Posted by Post-er Boy at 4:16:41 PM

Holy crap!! Red sox have a 28-y.o. General Manager!!!!

Posted by Post-er Boy at 2:15:00 PM

Colleges Pondering Prevention After Latest 'Sports Riots'
Two minutes before kickoff of the Ohio State-Michigan game Saturday, Jerry M. Lewis told a friend that a Buckeyes victory would be the last ingredient needed to set off a "sports riot." Lewis, a Kent State sociologist, was sorry to be proved correct. Hundreds of people started fires, overturned cars and scuffled with the police early Sunday on the streets of Columbus, Ohio. (registration may be required)

Posted by Post-er Boy at 12:41:46 PM

5 bizarre & bogus sports stories (ESPN)
No. 6 Utah Jazz swingman Calbert Cheaney missed a practice in the preseason because of a stray eyelash. ....

Posted by Post-er Boy at 12:37:21 PM

The Curse of Chunky Soup
Following up several leads, I have found that "The Curse of Chunky Soup" was originally formulated by The Fistful of Sports on December 17, 2000:

Let's see, Reggie White gave a racist speech before the Wisconsin legislature and cost himself a broadcasting job. Terrell Davis suffered injuries, and hasn't finished either of the last two seasons. Kurt Warner gets injured, his team goes on a losing streak, and he winds up in danger of missing the playoffs. Ladies and gentlemen, I submit to you..."The Curse of Chunky Soup."

Despite the fact that Dan Lewis claims that he came up with it independently, there's no denying that Fistful came up with it first.

Posted by kj at 11:09:20 PM

Baseball: a thinking man's game?
There are a few things I hate in life. One of them is people who think that baseball is more of a "thinking man's" sport than football. Give me a fucking break. Every team in the NFL is throwing out complex defenses and offenses every play. Its a chess match between the offensive and defensive coordinators. The variety of play calling on both sides of the ball is unbelievably complex. Just watch one of the good NFL shows on ESPN or HBO where they break down the plays to get just a glimmer of the strategy invloved. OK, so what do Tony LaRussa and all other baseball managers do? They look at statistics. Baseball strategy is all about the numbers. So its the 6th inning and the big hitter from the other team sucks against lefties. You put in a lefty. Its not genius, its the right thing to do. Simple example but it gets the point across. Football is the real thinking man's sport.

Posted by twisted at 8:05:26 PM

Excerpt of David Wells, drunk off his ass, 911 call [via Smoking Gun]
Operator: Police operator 139, what is the emergency?
Wells: I just got my, I just got offended.
Operator: Now what do you mean you've been offended?
Wells: I just got, I just got my teeth knocked in, alright?
Operator: Okay. You need an ambulance?
Wells: Send the fucking cop. Nine motherfucking one one.

Posted by Post-er Boy at 1:42:22 PM

Smoking Gun: Michael Jordan extortion lawsuit

Posted by Post-er Boy at 10:11:38 AM

Federal Judge Predicts Super Bowl
Frank Easterbrook, federal judge on Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals has conducted an incredibly scientifically advanced analysis of the relationship between performance and appearing on national television. Easterbrook notes that for each of the last three seasons, the eventual Super Bowl winner was a team (the Rams, then Ravens, then Patriots) downplayed by the league in terms of national television exposure. Based on his analysis, Easterbrook picks the Saints to meet the Bolts in the 2003 Super Bowl.

Notice, however, that he fails to predict a winner. He must have read Elias Sports Bureau Chief Steve Hirdt's article: A No Win Situation for Super Bowl Hopefuls This Year which provides Ten Simple Rules that, taken together, forestall the possibility of any NFL team taking home the Lombardi trophy this year.

Posted by kj at 8:16:41 AM

NFL Endorsement Curses
We previously told you that the MADDEN NFL video game cover jinx will mean the end of Marshall Faulk this season. Now Dan Lewis is reporting that the Chunky Soup curse has claimed Donovan, Jerome, TD and Warner.

UPDATE: After some research it seems that Fistful of Sports and not Dan Lewis's SportsBlog or StarkDavingMad is the proper source for the Curse of Chunky Soup.

Posted by kj at 8:46:33 PM

Dr. Gay Lights Up Nebraska Scoreboard
A University of Nebraska physics professor's knack for explaining the science of football has brought his image to the scoreboard of Cornhuskers games and, via an NFL program, to TV screens in 190 countries. [via WSJ]

Posted by kj at 11:18:09 AM

Writer Details Exploits of Twisted Fans in North America
Fans such as William Ligue Jr. and son are part of a growing group of fans unable to distinguish participation from spectatorship in the confusing haze brought to you by Budweiser, Jackass, Reality TV and a growing number of Owners willing to display decibel meters to egg on crowd noise, turn up the volume on baby sound effects when a player whines, juice up the thumping music during timeouts and hand out ThunderStix before the game. [via NYT, sub req'd]

See also When Fans Attack: a history of fan violence at sporting events and Sports Fans: The Psychology and Social Impact of Spectators and Rowdy Football Fan Roundup by Sports Fan Magazine.

Posted by kj at 2:56:30 PM

When Did ESPN Stop Doing Sports and become MTV? [via Slate Sports Nut]


Posted by kj at 2:06:14 PM

Miami (OH) Suspends Coaches That Attacked Fans
Athletic director offers excuses for coaches’ behavior in postgame brawl against Marshall. [via SFM]

Posted by kj at 12:05:23 AM

OK, I'll admit that my draft was only 9 teams compared to SG's 11, but no way he comes close to drafting this team. He'll have to try again next year when we're calling him California Guy. He closed it out on a good note though, by doing one of my favorites... his running draft commentary... doesn't matter that it was only a fantasy draft... his dad fucken kills me. Bill Simmons offers one more NBA fantasy draft.

Posted by kj at 11:34:53 PM

Rowdy fan gets beat up after jumping on CFL player
Via ESPN.com: OTHERFB > 22-year-old construction worker Jody Remple (might being named Jody have something to do with his rage?) admitted he had too much to drink and yielded to peer pressure when he left the stands during a CFL West semifinal. Remple ran on the field and jumped on Lions cornerback Eric Carter. He was promptly kicked and beaten by players.

ESPN also provides a video of the fan's attack. Standard | Cable Modem

Posted by kj at 1:11:03 PM

Bobby Knight sues Indiana.

Posted by Post-er Boy at 8:08:09 AM

Grand Theft Auto: Vice City It's cool.

Posted by kj at 9:53:59 AM

Bobby Valentine this week appeared on the Emmy-winning Late Show with David Letterman, delivering a Top 10 list of things Valentine wants to get off of his chest. As is usually the case with Letterman's show, it was pretty funny. The list:

10. "When I signed my contract, I was under the impression I'd be managing the Yankees."
9. "I couldn't explain the balk rule if you paid me."
8. "Sometimes, I'd daydream during games about being a cowboy."
7. "I was hoping there would be a one-day strike so I could get my car inspected."
6. "The Rally Monkey can kiss my ass."
5. "I'm not saying it affected my managing, but the chair in my office at Shea had no lumbar support."
4. "Lord help me, I can't stop collecting bobblehead dolls."
3. "I firmly believe Winona was just researching a movie role."
2. "To save money on overseas calls, I'd use the dugout phone."
1. "I had no idea there's a baseball team in Anaheim."

Posted by kj at 9:06:06 AM

Dam Hor's NBA Prediicitons
Here are my conference rankings for b-ball. Funny, typing this out I realized that, contrary to popular opinion, the Eastern Conference is becoming the better conference. The top teams in the West are clearly better but in the West there is more of a hierarchy. There are great teams and very bad teams in the West. The East is insanely competitive and many teams look improved this year.

My eastern conference rankings could be radically different next time I do them. Who knows what the hell is going to happen there. What I do see in the East is New Jersey and Indiana definitely staying at the top of the pile. I also see a much improved Washington team and Jordan's return to the playoffs. David Stern wacks-off on a daily basis fantasizing about a Wizards/Lakers Final. Chicago should be making a move upward too this year. The Baby Bulls could surprise some people. The Knicks will completely and totally suck. Spree is as good as gone.

In the West I think you have the top four teams and then there is everyone else. As much as I want to stay away from the Kings bandwagon they are definitely the best team in basketball until proven otherwise. Their lack of heart kept them from beating the Lakers last year. I don't expect that to happen again. Webber is their big gun but this team belongs to Bibby and Divac. Clippers aren't over the hump yet. Grizzles will be the surprise team of the year. The Grizz are developing into a nice team in the kings/mavs mold. The Jazz should be suck-o-rific. Payton will go completely insane if he's not traded (he will be). Everyone will rightly learn to love Stevie Franchise more this year. The Lakers will have it together at playoff time again but the Kings will win it all.

EAST
15. New York 14. Atlanta 13. Miami 12. Chicago 11. Cleveland 10. Milwaukee 9. Detroit 8. Orlando 7. Boston 6. Washington 5. New Orleans 4. Toronto 3. Philadelphia 2. Indiana 1. New Jersey

WEST
14. Denver 13. Golden State 12. Utah 11. Phoenix 10. Clippers 9. Seattle 8. Houston 7. Memphis 6. Portland 5. Minnesota 4. San Antonio 3. Lakers 2. Dallas 1. Sacramento

Posted by kj at 2:45:08 PM