by John Ryan
I feel like Lawrence Taylor during a football game in the 80’s right now. That’s right: I’m jacked up because this weekend was one of the wildest I can remember in ages, and it featured a roller coaster ride of emotions matched only by a Britney Spears’ weekend bender. There was playoff-caliber baseball, college football upsets, NFL upsets, foolish contract extensions, firings, last game ever’s at more than one legendary venue, and much, much more. Without further ado, here’s my first ever Weekend Ramblings:
1.) Fred Wilpon gave Omar Minaya a contact extension! I’m delighted. Ok, so it’s not all that bad. As discussed in my article last week, Minaya has made some great moves and brought the Mets back to respectability. Only problem is, he has also presided over two major collapses. Ladies and gentlemen of the Metropolitan area of New York: Your 2008-2012 GM of the Mets!
2.) On Thursday, in the middle of me flinging my remote at the TV because the Phillies looked to be overly generous in giving away their playoff berth, USC was taking advantage of a team ill-prepared to play an inferior opponent. USC always wins the big game, but can’t win the small one’s sometimes, especially in their home conference of the PAC-10. In Pete Carroll’s tenure at USC, they have lost half of their games against unranked Pac-10 opponents. Sad. They had the national title wrapped up. Now, it looks as though Georgia has a shot…
3.) Until Nick Saban brutally savaged them on national TV. The Alabama Crimson Tide came into Georgia and wiped that smile right off Ugga’s face. (Ugga is the bulldog.)
4.) On Saturday the Flyers played the last game ever at the Spectrum of professional hockey (they do play the Phantoms there, but it doesn’t count as its an exhibition game). On Sunday the Mets played the last game ever at Shea stadium. For hockey fans everywhere, the Spectrum was a great place with a great home ice advantage. In it’s hey day, few were better. As for Shea, I won’t cry, but fans of New York expected WAY more with their payroll and talent. Hey Mets fans don’t CHOKE on your tears. (I’m sorry, had to throw that in there!)
5.) Quick moment of silence for Paul Newman. My personal top 3 favorite movies by him, in no particular order, are as follows: 1.) Slapshot 2.) Cool Hand Luke 3.) The Road to Perdition.
6.) On Sunday the following teams lost (and in doing so killed off many a “suicide pool” players: Denver, Dallas, and to a lesser extent the Eagles.
7.) On the Eagles game: Why do you have a franchise QB throw 41 times and play all game without visible pain, but then use a 2nd string HB and a FB run 4 straight times on the 1 yard line? And, since when does Reid run 4 times in a row? Here’s my quick suggestion: Either a nude bootleg, or a QB sneak! (Is my bitterness evident on the page?)
8.) My fantasy football teams went a record shattering 0-3 this weekend. (Side note: If whatchyou talkin bout Willis McGahee gets 13 points in a non-PPR league, I go 1-2 which is way less drastic. Stay tuned.) This is the first time I’ve ever done that, and my teams have such a variety of players, im almost never rooting for the same guys for two different teams, with one exception: Of course it has to be Marion Barber.
9.) This morning (though technically not the weekend) featured the firing of Scott Linehan. Do I even need to comment here? He was a great offensive coordinator. Look at Norv Turner. He still makes people believe he can be a head coach based on inventive play calling from the early 90’s! He’ll get a job again somewhere, even if he’s a coordinator again first.
10.) BONUS: The Super Bowl performer was announced yesterday: Bruce Springsteen. Sorry, doesn’t excite me. The NFL is hip, happening, and everything in between those two. In the past few years they’ve rolled out McCartney, The Stones, Aerosmith, etc. Here’s a concept: how about someone who’s not collecting social security! Here’s a great list of young, up and coming bands that would be audience friendly, and be young enough to still be relevant to the NFL’s LARGEST audience: The Killers, The Bravery, Modest Mouse, Foo Fighters, Timbaland, Outkast, John Legend, etc. There’s plenty. I’m a big fan of the classics, but how about spicing it up a bit this year and not being so predictable?
Is Thin Lizzy available that night ?