The Sports Mob

New Rule: No BCS

2008-01-09T10:25:00.000-05:00

I don't want to go off on a rant here, but we need a playoff system. Why was Ohio State in the championship game? They beat a bunch of so-so talent in their weak conference, and go off and embarrass themselves again. I am so tired of hearing "it is the strength of the Big 10 versus the speed on the SEC". If you watched the game, you saw a front 7 of the LSU defense that has size, strength AND speed. They blow by the o line and harass the slow footed QB trying to pass to slow footed receivers who aren't used to big plays and are covered like blankets even with LSU's star safety on the sidelines. And how about that OSU linebacker that won the Butkus award? Last time I looked, Dick B could cover a tight end. LSU's blocking tight end beat him like a government mule. Also, because the Rose Bowl had to have a "traditional matchup" (USC pressures for an easy game) - we get a lousy Rose Bowl. USC should have played Georgia - which lead to a lousy Sugar Bowl. Here's how we do it:

SEC Champ - Sugar Bowl

Big 12 Champ - Fiesta Bowl

PAC 10 Champ - Rose Bowl

ACC Champ - Orange Bowl

Those are the best conferences. Now pick the best 4 teams from other conferences to play them (regardless of conference). then play them off until you have a champ.

This year should have been:

LSU vs Missouri

USC vs Georgia

Kansas vs Va Tech

WVA vs Ohio State

Winners would be

LSU

Georgia

Kansas

WVa

Then:

LSU vs WVa

Georgia vs Kansas

Winners would be:

WVA

Georgia

Playoff:

Georgia - National Champions

Or something like that.

Are You Ready For Some Football?

2007-04-17T14:13:00.000-04:00

Olbermann is joining NBC's Sunday night football highlight show panel.

What goes around, comes around.

OMG

2007-04-10T12:10:00.000-04:00

Maybe I'll start going to CNN for my sports news coverage. ESPN is taking this crap wayyyy too far.

I almost fell off my chair when I read the part about Imus calling Sen. Campbell "that guy from 'F Troop'."

As for "Rev." Hymietown, he needs to get a job.

PC Runs Amok Again

2007-04-07T12:31:00.000-04:00

The guy was making a joke, for Heaven's sake!

D O M I N A T I O N ! ! !

2007-02-28T12:01:00.000-05:00

XLI

2007-01-23T19:57:00.000-05:00

My tag team guerrilla sportswriting partner writes:

G:
Was that one of the best games you've seen in a while or what?I'll take the Colts in Miami in 2 weeks.
D

My response:
The real Super Bowl just ended in the RCA Dome. Expect the massively overrated Bears to show up and be soundly thrashed. I have been certain of two things recently: First, that at 42 I have indeed found the true love of my life and, secondly, that the Colts will roll in two weeks.

Write it down.

Younger readers may not realize this, but years ago the NFC dominated the Super Bowl. My, how things have changed. The AFC was 40-24 versus the NFC this season. In thirteen days they'll be 41-24.

Write that down, too.

Simmons' take on Steroidgate

2007-01-04T08:35:00.000-05:00

Read the last paragraph carefully. I don't think Rose is a dirtbag, but the rest is dead-on.

And you thought this blog was dead...

Wetzel says this, oh, almost as well as I do:

2006-03-02T12:54:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl X[tra]L[ow-quality

2006-02-05T16:02:00.000-05:00

Bob Costas caused a controversy in 1988 when he called the L.A. Dodgers of Los Angeles :-) "the weakest lineup in World Series history." Costas's balls were promptly busted by a wincing NBC, and the Dodgers further made him look stupid by beating the juggernaut A's in five games.
Fast forward to 1996, when Gambz The Sports Don [that's moi] calls Super Bowl XL "the weakest Super Bowl ever." The Steelers, a #6 seed? Please. And the Seahawks, the #1 seed in the NFC? Who did they play?
I invite all who wish to inflict pain on my testicles. Flame away.

Pure Class

2005-09-03T23:29:00.000-04:00

Joe Horn of the Saints does a really good thing -- and there's not a cellphone around...

Way to go, Joe!

2005-08-05T03:51:00.000-04:00

'Waxman pointed to an interview in The Philadelphia Inquirer yesterday in which Joe Morgan, a highly respected Hall of Famer and an ESPN announcer, blasted steroid users and said the game had tolerated and profited from the abuses during the long-ball era after the 1994 strike. He dismissed the idea that modern power-hitting records could be designated with a footnote about drug use.
"There's not a big enough asterisk to handle all of this," Morgan was quoted as saying, adding, "If you are going to let people into the Hall who have done steroids, then you have to let Pete Rose in, because this has hurt baseball more than what Pete did."'

Couldn't have said it better myself.

Tour de France Report, Day 1

2005-07-02T15:52:00.000-04:00

It was a good day for the USA as 4 Americans opened in the top 10 with CSC's David Zabriskie winning the opening time trial in 20' 51'' with 6 time winner Lance Armstrong finishing 2nd, 2 seconds behind.

Armstrong's Discovery Channel teammate George Hincapie finished 4th and Phonak's Floyd Landis finished 6th.

JUST TAKE THE DAMN POLL!

2005-06-19T12:47:00.000-04:00

Should baseball meander into the 21st century or not?

I didn't know much of this...

2005-06-11T12:43:00.000-04:00

Fascinating stuff! Apparently Walter O'Malley was a real visionary.

Maybe the Apocalypse is already here aka What is this world coming to???

2005-05-30T09:45:00.000-04:00

Foreign Objects

2005-05-09T19:32:00.000-04:00

Steve Nash of the Suns was named NBA MVP today. Canadian-born Nash becomes the second foreign [after Hakeem Olajuwon] player to win the NBA's MVP.

This is indeed rare...kinda like the Jewish pro athlete. Wasn't there one once? Was it Sandy Koufax?

MotoGP Begins This Weekend

2005-04-07T09:48:00.000-04:00

MotoGP, the highest form of motorcycle racing, and my favorite sport, begins this weekend in Jarez, Spain. Motorcycle racing is the number one sport in Spain, and the fans will be going crazy. It will be televised on the NASCAR Channel (Speed) on Sunday from 3-4PM. Set your DVRs, PVRs and VCRs. Here is a little on the top riders.

46 - Valentino Rossi (Italy) - "The Doctor" - Yamaha. Probably the greatest motorcycle racer of all time when he is done (he is 26 now and a 5 time world champion). He won 125 GP in his second year there, 250 GP in his second year there and 500GP (now MotoGP) his second year there. He then won the next year on the New Honda 4 stroke V5 - which is the dominate bike, got tired of hearing that it was all the bike, went to Yamaha who hadn't won a race in a decade and won the championship. He HATES Max Biaggi.

3 - Max Biaggi (Italy) - "Mad Max" or "The Roman Conquerer" - Honda. Was the next great champion, 3 straight years as 250GP world champ. Some say he stayed there a year too long. Obnoxious rider. HATES Valention Rossi.

15 - Sete Gibernau (Spain) - Honda. Late bloomer, hitting his stride now. Very consistent. seldom crashes. Hates Max Biaggi.

69 - Nicky Hayden (USA) - "The Kid" - Honda. America's best hope as our next world champ. 3rd year in Motogp after AMA Superbike championship. Rookie of the year two years ago. Time to "step up". Describes himself as just a "hillbilly from Kentucky". Max Biaggi's teammate. All indications are that he hates Max Biaggi.

65 - Loris Capparossi (Italy) - Ducati. Great rider on a fast bike that doesn't like to turn. He is fun to watch as he muscles the bike around (and he weighs all of 120lbs). Good friend of Rossi. Hates Biaggi.

5 - Colin Edwards (USA) "Texas Tornado"- Yamaha. Former World Superbike champ. Joined Aprilia team last year, but Aprilia was in financial straits. Rossi's teammate. Look for him to get some podiums. Dislikes Biaggi.

7 - Carlos Checa (Spain) "Checkout Checa" - Ducati. Hasn't done much checking out lately, but always contends in the 4 spanish races. First year on the Ducati. Hates Biaggi.

10 - Kenny Roberts Jr (USA) "KRJR" - Suzuki. Won a 500GP championship after the great Mick Doohan retired and before Rossi came up. Son of motorcycle racing legend Kenny Roberts. The 4 stroke Suzuki has struggled lately. Hates Biaggi.

21 - John Hopkins (USA) - Suzuki. Only 21 and third year in MotoGP. Only had one year in a major league roadracing season (AMA Formula Extreme) before going to MotoGP which is unheard of. Has the talent, might not have the bike. Hates Biaggi.

4 - Alex Barros (Brazil) - Honda. Probably his last season. No one outbreaks him. Hates Biaggi.

Riders to Watch: Marco Melandri (Honda) and Makoto Tamada (Honda). They are in their third years, so they hate Biaggi as well.

Watch it, you might like it.

A New Office Pool

2005-04-07T09:41:00.000-04:00

As I am a Theist, I find this funny. If you don't find it funny, I apologize.

Actually, I find it unbelievably funny.

A Great Season Ended

2005-04-03T14:31:00.000-04:00

Here in the sunny side of the Ville, I stand very proud of the alma mater. As for the Illini? I hope they win Monday night. What better compliment than to be defeated by the eventual national champion?

I was saddened last night. Then I realized that, indeed, the sun will rise the next day. And, on schedule, it did.

Poetic Justice

2005-03-30T00:10:00.000-05:00

It turns out that the physician who advised MLB on its steroid policy pumped up his educational and professional credentials. Is that poetic justice or what?

WHEW!

2005-03-26T19:33:00.000-05:00

When WVU led by 20, I was close to incontinence. When they had a 12-point halftime lead, I was ready to give up.

Big mistake.

As I write this, the Cardinals are cutting down the nets.

Bring on Illinois. Or Arizona. The Ville is for real.

One more to the Final Four

2005-03-26T11:55:00.000-05:00

For you Yankees who have never seen a Red State paper before...

NCAA Basketball When all is said and done, Cardinals trump a No. 1 - CBS SportsLine.com

2005-03-25T09:14:00.000-05:00

NCAA Basketball When all is said and done, Cardinals trump a No. 1 - CBS SportsLine.com

And remember folks, you heard it here first (and often).

A Class Guy

2005-03-24T08:30:00.000-05:00

It says here Louisville will win tonight. The Sports Don says so.

Going, Going, Gone?

2005-03-23T10:12:00.000-05:00

Barry Bonds, the poster child for spoiled brat athletes everywhere might be done for the year? Or forever?

Good. You're a creep, you don't deserve to hold any records and we really don't need to share your joy any longer.

A Sunday Steroid Funny

2005-03-20T09:14:00.000-05:00

A Carry? Holy Cow!

2005-03-19T23:24:00.000-05:00

I just saw a Wake Forest player get called for a carry! A carry!

The last time a carry was called was on me, when I was in fourth grade. That was 40 years ago. I thought the carry rule had been eliminated from the rule book because, I dunno, EVERYBODY DOES IT.

The Mighty Bison beat the Jayhawks

2005-03-19T00:09:00.000-05:00

So. I think his God decided to punish Senator Brownback (Asshole & Holy Roller - KS) for sticking his nose into the Schiavo affair.

And I'm not a liberal, I am a Goldwater Republican. We are as rare a breed as there is.

The Steroid Hearings

2005-03-18T10:42:00.000-05:00

Today on the Stern show, they played Big Red sobbing while he read his statement and had Tom Hanks yelling "There's no crying in baseball" in the background.

THAT'S FUNNY!

Congress Hearings

2005-03-17T20:33:00.000-05:00

McGwire is a whiny pussy.

Shut the fuck up, junkie.

Bud on the Box

2005-03-17T20:00:00.000-05:00

Selig should have been put on a box with a hood and electrodes on his genitals.

I heard him tell Congressmen that baseball didn't/doesn't have a major problem--other than the unsupported anecdotes offered by Canseco--and that no managers, GM's, trainers have offered any evidence that steroid use/abuse was widespread nor did MLB turn their back on the problem.

Bud's either got his head in the sand or so far up his ass that he hasn't got a clue OR he's lying through his teeth under oath. Maybe he's just lying to himself.

Chris Shays asked a great question: "Why should baseball players get 3, 4 , 5 strikes when proven that they are abusing illegal, scheduled drugs when the kid in HS or college is arrested and run through the system at the first offense. That's a damned good question.

The third team...

2005-03-15T09:24:00.000-05:00

...Louisville will whip in the NCAAs. Can you say "overrated?" The Pac-10? Puhlease.

Michael Jordon's New Team

2005-03-10T16:28:00.000-05:00

Soup

A brand new team puts a bike on the podium for the Daytona Superstock Race!

E-mail to Kornheiser and Wilbon

2005-03-05T12:32:00.000-05:00

After my alma mater was dissed on Friday's "Pardon the Interruption", I fired off the following email:

"I used to respect you guys. That ended Friday when you dissed Louisville. Not only is Rick Pitino one of the best big-game coaches in the NCAA, but Francisco Garcia -- and the rest of the Cardinals -- are hungry for a title. They may not win one, but they certainly deserved inclusion in your Top 10.

Shame on you both.

Gary "Gambz" Gambino
Sellersburg, Indiana
Louisville '95"

Bonds Speaks

2005-03-04T19:08:00.000-05:00

Interesting article. In "All The President's Men", we were introduced to the term "non-denial denial". Bonds is full of "non-admission admissions".

Perusing the NFL record book, I noticed...

2005-03-02T14:11:00.000-05:00

Brett Favre is, as of now, is only 44 td's away from Marino's lofty career passing td's mark of 420. He'd need another three, maybe four seasons to start topping his yardage, attempts and completions marks.

The rest of these records are current through the 2003 season.

Interestingly enough, Neil O'Donnell holds the NFL record for lowest percentage of passes intercepted over a career (with at least 1500 attempts), with 2.11 percent. Does this lend weight to the Superbowl gambling rumors and 4 int's we spoke of in previous posts? He's followed by McNabb and Brunell in the two and three spots.

John Elway has been sacked more than any other QB. 516 times. Dave Krieg is second, which I expected, but what I didn't expect was to see Randall Cunningham in the three spot with 484.
Fleet-footed Randall Cunningham. Whodathunkit.

Michael Strahan is listed as the single season sack record holder over Mark Gastineau by half a sack with 22.5 thanks to the whole Brett "I saw him coming unblocked and audibled from a handoff to a naked bootleg in his direction" Favre debacle in the closing seconds of the last game of the season in 2001. And did you see the "sack"? Unbelievable. Get a room you guys, geez. Mark's still the king in my book.

None have topped Charley Hennigan's 1961 mark for receiving yardage in a season (1,746 yards) except in 1995 when Jerry Rice and Isaac Bruce both did it with 1,848 and 1,781 yards respectively. Of course, Rice's name is nearly everywhere under receiving records in this thing...

...except for most receptions in a season. Marvin Harrison shattered the previous mark by 21 catches, posting 143 a few seasons ago. Wow.

Michael Irvin has the most games with 100 yards receiving in a season with 11 in 1995, and a record 7 of those consecutively.

Barry Sanders is in the three spot behind Emmitt and Walter in career rushing yards with 15,269 yards. Sufficiently impressive on its own, but amazing when you figure in the following: He only played 10 seasons. That's a 1,527 season average maintained over a ten year period behind a makeshift 0-line on a cruddy team. Also, Barry was tackled for losses totaling over 1,000 yards in his career.

Sanders also holds the record for most games with 100 yards rushing in a season with 14, and that consecutively, also a record.

Eric Dickerson, the original malcontent, if I may use your term, drdave, holds the record for most yards rushing in a season with 2,105. In his second year, mind you. He only managed 1800+ his first. This guy could have made a run at Payton's marks, I think, if he had cared to do so.

The NFL rushing crown: Who's next?

2005-02-28T09:04:00.000-05:00

Having been diagnosed with chronic fatigue syndrome just a week past has prompted my recent rash of material. I have a bit more time on my hands, that is. I hope no one minds.

I was considering the top active NFL rushers when it occurred to me that quite possibly, none of these guys will even get close to Emmitt's totals. Off the top of my head, there are three with a legitimate shot in the near future. Here's where they stand:

1. E. Smith-18,355 yards. Took him 15 seasons to amass that yardage.
2. C. Martin-13,366 yards in 10 seasons.
3. J. Bettis-13,294 in 12 seasons.
4. M. Faulk-11,987 in 11.

Smith is finished. His totals will not increase anymore, the standard has been set. At each individual player's average yearly rushing totals:

Martin needs 4 seasons at his average of 1300 yards.
Bettis needs 5 at his 1,100 per.
Faulk would need 6 seasons at his 1,100 yard average.

Currently, it seems that Martin, Bettis, and Faulk will be returning for another season with their respective teams, but the rumor mill says S. Jackson will be the feature back in St. Louis, and who knows how Bettis will be utilized next season. On the other hand, Martin, who turns 32 in May of this year, is coming off his best season ever. His 1,697 yards rushing and 4.6 yards per carry average were both career highs. LaMont who? Martin seems to me to be the most likely of this trio to start 4 more seasons, let alone 5 or 6, and achieve their average yearly yardage.

If Martin can't get it done, our next hope for a challenger may be L. Tomlinson in 2012 at age 33, if he can keep up his blistering pace of 1,500 yards per season.

Have I overlooked a realistic contender? I hope so. Otherwise, it could be awhile...

Sports cards for fun & profit, then & now...

2005-02-26T09:51:00.001-05:00

For those new to the hobby, out of the hobby loop, or those thinking of introducing the hobby to their children or grandchildren, this is for you. I hope this saves you some time and headaches, as well as a few bucks:

I recently had occasion to visit a hobby store in New Albany after a doctor visit and purchased the February 2005 issue of "Beckett Football Card Monthly." The cover touted Ben Roethlisberger as "The Greatest Rookie Ever" and had several articles on last year's rookie crop and premier rookie prospects for next season. I learned Ben currently has five rookie cards, or first year cards, valued at $500-$900.

I began collecting for fun & profit at the age of 10 in early 1986. Seemingly being born a Bengals fan, I was pleasantly surprised to see football cards appear in the small town local market in Pekin, Indiana, next to the baseball cards that were always there and didn't interest me at the time. I plunked down my $.35 for a pack of 1986 Topps, and for whatever reason, I remember the first card in my first pack was an Irving Fryer card, WR for the Patriots. I chewed the brittle pink stick of gum as I thumbed through the 14 or 16 cards I had purchased, and I was hooked. Seems like so long ago.

The hobby has changed over the past 20 years. In '86, Topps was your only option for individual football player trading cards, and had been since 1968, so the hobby was easy to understand and keep up with, since each player had only one card, and checklists helped you complete a set by telling you who you lacked. At $.35 per pack/$10 per box, it was affordable to bust packs in hopes of completing a set, and/or getting that key rookie card.

In '87, I noticed the pack price jumped to $.40. In '88, it was $.45, and in '89, $.50. I collected Topps in '89, though I had heard that companies called "Score" and "Pro Set" had joined the business. I never saw a box of either that entire year. By 1990, "Fleer" and "Action Packed" had joined the frey, and competition to produce a better product had pushed prices to $.75-$1.00 per pack, and I thought that was outrageous at the time. 1991 saw the introduction of "Stadium Club," "Pro Line," "Star Pics," "Ultra," "Pacific Plus," and "Upper Deck" card manufacturers.

Things were getting complicated in a hurry. Each player now had at least 11 rookie cards, and at $1-$5 per pack, a collector on a budget had to be a discerning one. Which RC's were the best? Which sets were worth collecting? Insert cards, or rare bonus cards in addition to the regular set, had become all the rage since Pro Set invented the concept in 1990, and every set had one or more subsets of inserts within it. I managed to keep up with the hobby explosion until the mid 1990's before losing patience with the innumerable sets and increasing prices.

Lets time warp to 2005. Currently, Ben Roethlisberger has over 200 different rookie cards, ranging from $4 to $900 from 25+ individual card manufacturers, in 175+ subsets. How is this possible? Card manufacturer Fleer no longer makes just a Fleer brand set. Now they produce Fleer, Fleer Authentix, Fleer Genuine, Fleer Hot Prospects, Fleer Inscribed, Fleer Platinum, Fleer Showcase, Fleer Sweet Sigs, Fleer Tradition, and Fleer "Greats of the Game." All different 2004 sets, from the same manufacturer. I counted the total subsets Beckett troubles to price in these sets, and got 109. 109 subsets in these 10 different main sets. Geez, man, that's just one card manufacturer.

All rookies in the higher quality sets have become insert cards in the interest of scarcity, with jersey swatches and/or autographs, one or two rookies per box if you're lucky. Packs range from $5 for 5-8 cards to $150 for a one card pack. Wow.

Here's the application:

For investing in today's rookies, one is best suited to purchase cards individually, rather than breaking the bank by trying to pull them from packs. Oh, you're going to pay for these cards, but unless you're extremely lucky, you're saving a lot of money in the long run. But if you really want a sound investment...

...you've got to go vintage. Vintage is where it's going to be, folks, whatever the sport. You heard it here first. My rule is, stop at Emmitt Smith. Don't invest in anything newer than 1990 products. After 1990, card manufacturers began producing cards in such quantities as to make their value obsolete, when combined with the fact that the hobby craze really caught on at that time and seems like everyone began using card protectors to protect their finds. This leads to a supply of mint condition cards that far exceeds the demand for them. You've got a mint 1994 Marshall Faulk rookie? So what? Who doesn't? His best books for $20 ungraded currently. Ah, but if you've got a mint '86 Jerry Rice rookie, it's worth $80 ungraded, and worth $3,500 professionally graded as such.

Why the disparity from Faulk to Rice? Because there were less cards produced in 1986, and less collectors. Plus, at that time, most collectors kept their cards in stacks secured by rubber bands in a shoe box-unthinkable in today's day and age of collecting etiquette. My advice is to buy ungraded cards, then have them graded by a reputable company. It only costs about $10 per card, and Beckett Grading Services is the best and most respected, since they produce the industry standard value guide.

Plus I've got good news concerning vintage cards. They aren't making anymore, and they're remarkably cheap, for now, due to economy woes. One can purchase a mint 1968 Topps Bob Griese RC- his only one :)- for $90 or less. How about a 1969 Topps Larry Csonka RC? $75. Finding these in mint condition is hard to do. I've surfed ebay enough to know. Lets go even more vintage: 1957 Topps Bart Starr and John Unitas RC's book for $450 each in near-mint condition. So does a near-mint 1958 Topps Jim Brown RC. These are worth untold amounts when professionally graded. As a bonus, there's no worry of these guys being injured and never heard from again. They're proven Hall of Famers, and their legacy is already secure.

For my money, I'd rather invest $500 in any of the previous three than a mint 2004 Ben Roethlisberger that there are hundreds or even thousands of, even if he is "The Greatest Rookie Ever."

Tongue Firmly In Cheek

2005-02-26T08:11:00.000-05:00

Hope the slide show works!

Rice: The Plot Thickens

2005-02-25T16:48:00.000-05:00

I hear the Cowboys need a receiver, Bart...

Maurice

2005-02-25T08:04:00.000-05:00

I have long been ambivalent about age rules for entering professional sports leagues. Shouldn't players have the right to earn a living when they're ready and not according to some arbitrary standard? For example, Kobe and Lebron have landed on their feet, with the possible exceptions of a dropped rape case, a Shaq-shedding power struggle and a slam-dunk contest extortion. But it's all good.

The NFL, though, is different. Players presumably need to be more physically mature. But let's look at this from another angle. If the NFL requires players to attend college, isn't the NCAA a de facto free farm system? Should they not be compensated?

These are questions that will be answered by...The Sports Mob.

Let's let Jerry decide.

2005-02-24T10:28:00.000-05:00

All this hubbub surrounding Randy Moss has stirred feelings I've had for some time about his more humble Hall of Fame-bound NFL counterpart. Jerry Rice is the most prolific WR to ever play the game, bar-none, so it pains me to see him so seemingly unappreciated and under-utilized by the 49ers in his final year there, the Raiders and most recently, the Seahawks.

In his final season at San Francisco in 2000, at age 38, he caught 75 balls and 7 td's. These stats are more than respectable, and enough to lead most teams, especially considering the fact that T.O. was constantly demanding the ball at that time, and caught 97 balls and 13 td's himself that same year. Nevertheless, they sent Jerry to Oakland.

In the next two seasons with Oakland, Rice was extremely successful. At age 39 , Rice caught 83 passes for 9 td's. At age 40, he improved to 92 catches and added another 7 td's en-route to an AFC Championship game. Again, great stats, especially considering he was competing for looks with fellow future HOF'er Tim Brown. Even at 40 against superb talent at his position, Rice was flourishing.

Then it happened. In 2003, the Raiders were coming off a tough AFC Championship loss in which NFL MVP Rich Gannon was less than spectacular. Gannon picked up where he left off, and the passing game struggled. Coaches changed and Rice still managed a team leading 63 grabs, but just wasn't getting the looks in the red zone and scored only twice. Not getting looks in the red zone in 2003 grew to not getting looks period in early 2004 with Oakland.

The 2004 Oakland Raiders were about youth at the WR position. Curry, Gabriel and Porter were pushed to the forefront of the offense, with Rice not even starting. I'm not sure why they went away from him while he was still proving to be the best option on the team. Rice asked to be traded, and he got his wish.

The Seahawks gave him a chance to play a few downs, and even start 4 games near the end of the season in the stead of suspended Koren "I drop more balls than Laverneous Coles" Robinson. Jerry delivered with 27 receptions and 3 td's in that span. Then, as the Seahawks faced a one touchdown defecit on their final drive in their playoff game, in the red zone, with time expiring, the 'hawks didn't even have Rice on the field. If I have Rice in that situation, I'm going to throw the corner-fade to him at least once. I'm glad they lost.

I haven't heard if #80 will retire before this season. If he's not going to be a factor, I hope, for his sake, that he does. To me, there's just nothing sadder than seeing that much talent and devotion to the game squandered and treated like so much rubbish by teams who seem to not know who he is and of what he is capable. Just throw him the ball. If he proves he can't cut it, so be it. Don't cut short or hinder his career, at least let his performance decide when he is finished.

I think it's also interesting to note that even after 1,549 receptions, Rice has never lost a fumble in his 20 year career. His stats are jaw-dropping. What's the problem here?

Is Randy Moss high?

2005-02-24T09:05:00.000-05:00

Given that he was arrested a couple years past for rear-ending a police vehicle because it wasn't moving fast enough for him, in front of the police station, while in possession of marijuana, I think we know the answer to that question. No, what I mean is, does Moss really expect more success with a team that's 9-23 over the past two seasons? Don't misunderstand, I like the whole "NFL Misfits'" stigma in Oakland, I'm just not sure spite is the recipe for success there.

The Raider O-line lacks a lot in my opinion, and their two best options at QB are "mature" and "wow" by the game's age standards. I'm a fan of both of these guys. Gannon won the NFL MVP just 3 years ago at age 37 with Rice & Brown at WR and Collins can throw the deep ball, but I'm amazed that Moss seems to prefer these QB options to Culpepper and his league leading 4,500+ yds & 39 td's.

I'm of the view that Moss has made a rash decision in the heat of the off-season moment that seems to last forever, and where players' emotions remain suspended in limbo until the first regular season game of the next season. At least he was with a team capable of being a post-season threat year in and year out. Now he's grasping at straws with a team that he will, no doubt, feel that he has to resurrect. I'm afraid that at some point next season it will become apparent that one man isn't capable of such a feat, and the lack of success will put Randy into, "I'm not playin' if no one else is" mode. Yes, something tells me if 84 wasn't happy in Minnesota, he'll be miserable in Oakland. Especially when he's home watching the Vikings play playoff games on his big screen. He must be high.

So which team got the better end of this deal? The Vikings got LB Napoleon Harris who just finished his fourth year pro, the Raider's first round pick in this year's draft which happens to be seventh overall, and an additional pick in this year's draft. They also got 20+ million in cap room to sign free agents, and got rid of a lot of controversy and team-dividing issues, "Team Peace," if I may. The Raiders got the never ending rollercoaster ride of towering highs and abysmal lows that is Randy Moss. The answer seems clear to me.

Could this be...our first hyperlink?

2005-02-22T16:24:00.000-05:00

A hilarious cartoon...it makes both the sports and political blogs. Enjoy.

Daytona 500

2005-02-21T15:45:00.000-05:00

Now you can take this with a grain of salt because I'm a blue state Jew who has never attended a NASCAR event (although I spent many hours at the track during SCCA races when I was a college student) but am I the only one who has noticed that Jeff Gordon, like many of today's racers, has no personality? Did it get sucked out of his ear when drafting too closely?

It seems to me that back in the good old days, before NASCAR became a corporate sport, that the drivers used to be colorful figures. Gordon is about as colorful as the board meeting of a multinational corn flake manufacturer. Blechhhh!

Hope(?) in Dallas

2005-02-21T07:56:00.000-05:00

Some sports news show [and, I hope, my future employer] reports that there is controversy over the QB situation in Big D. Seems Bill Parcells is continuing his obsession with players he has coached before and favors signing free-agent Drew Bledsoe. Owner Jerry Jones, still reeling from the Quincy "Snoop Dogg" Carter debacle, favors going with unproven Drew Henson. [Can anyone be worse than Vinny Testaverde?]

My view is that Bledsoe would be a welcome addition to the Cowboys' starting lineup.

The soap opera continues. Stay tuned...

The evolution of a race fan...

2005-02-19T10:35:00.000-05:00

The events are fresh in my mind. Dale Earnhardt spent the last 40 miles of the 2001 Daytona 500 holding off veteran drivers with fresher tires. He succombed only to his names' sake son and his teammate, Michael Waltrip. The two began to pull away as they raced on for the checkered flag, and Earnhardt gradually lost the help of their draft. In what was classic Dale Earnhardt fashion, he made block after block after block on Sterling Marlin using the track to his advantage in his line selection, to the point where you just knew he was going to shred a tire or tires, risking disaster in every turn the last 20 miles. Three bumps from Marlin coming out of the final turn, and what would turn out to be the last epic battle of these NASCAR veterans was over, and the rest, history.

The remainder of the season seemed tainted somehow. Things just didn't look or seem right without the black car wreaking havoc on those with slower cars that refused to wave him on by.

What do you do when your lose your favorite? Someone's favorite things say a lot about that person. Our favorites are the things with which we identify most, the ones we care the most about. In losing a favorite, be it an item, team, player, or driver it seems a part of us has gone away somehow. I can identify with the Cleveland Browns fans who lost their team in the late 1990's, though only for a season, and I'm glad I've never had to face that with my Bengals.

I didn't watch alot of races that season, and I had no real interest in choosing another favorite, I mean, who would it be? It was always the 3 car. Now what? Plus, I didn't want to disrespect his memory by immediately "jumping into bed someone else" if you will. I gravitated towards Jr. for obvious reasons, and enjoyed watching Kerry Earnhardt and betting with friends on what lap he would wreck. Greg Biffle was tearing up the track in the Busch Series, and I liked his style even if he drive a Ford. Still, my enjoyment of racing was a faint specter of what it was.

In the seasons since, Winston Cup has become Nextel Cup, the points system has been jostled and the racing format skewed, with which I take serious issue, but I digress. Time passes, and heals all wounds as they say. I have found solace in an aggressive driver that I feel most embodies the spirit of racing and winning, for which I was so fond of Dale Sr. This driver doesn't just hate to lose, I believe he fears it, and thus his will to win is so much greater than the next fellow that it breaches his exterior composure, which sometimes leads to controversy due to the average person's inability to comprehend such a competitive nature. He is a Winston Cup Champion with nerves of steel and enough talent and drive to be truly great. Tony Stewart is today's "Intimidator." Besides, I spend so much time at Home Depot, I may as well endorse them. ;)

Test

2005-02-16T21:16:00.000-05:00

This is a test of new e-mail settings.

A Sad Day For An Addict

2005-02-16T20:49:00.000-05:00

Today I, as a sports fan, mourn not one, but two significant and tragic deaths.

Not that most folks south of the Eastern "red states" will care, but the National Hockey decided to call it quits and cancel the 2004-2005 season. Seems the NHL Players Association finally relented and agreed to a salary cap, but not one as low as the owners' final offer. The difference was $6.5 million.

So we will have to endure yet another year of a team from Tampa Bay being defending Stanley Cup champions.

Also, today unofficially marked the end of any trust the average baseball fan may have once had for the former national pastime. Jose Canseco's steroid allegations have the baseball world afire. Also, a former FBI agent stated that he warned MLB officials about steroid use among players ten years ago, with the warning falling on deaf ears.

Baseball officials and accused players have categorically denied everything, with the crescendo reaching "methinks the lady doth protest too much" levels.

When Barry Bonds breaks Henry Aaron's career home run record this year or next, will it be any more credible than the results of the latest WWE Heavyweight Championship match?

In both situations, there is plenty of blame to go around. The self-serving unions full of millionaires. The hypocritical owners, who preach fiscal restraint until the next superstar becomes a free agent. League officials, who have their heads stuck firmly in the sand.

I declared today to my wife that "there's no way we're going to a Reds game this year" even though Ken Griffey is named nowhere in the Canseco or BALCO allegations. Not a half hour later, she announced that the Reds' final preseason game will be played in Louisville -- twenty minutes from our home -- against the Toronto Blue Jays.

I indicated interest and spent the next ten minutes mentally kicking myself in the ass.

There is a line from the Rolling Stones' "Sympathy For The Devil" which says, "I shouted out, 'Who killed the Kennedys', when after all, it was you and me."

Analyze that and you have the way I feel right now.

"Hello...my name is Gary...and I'm addicted to sports."

For this fan, sometimes it's the intangibles...

2005-02-16T09:08:00.000-05:00

It was summer of 1994, and I, being 18 years old and an avid football card collector, made the trip to Indianapolis for a huge card and memorabilia show with a buddy. There were a few stars scheduled to sign autographs, including Mohammed Ali, Marshall Faulk, Jerome Bettis, and a basketball player, that tall corn-fed boy from North Carolina; his name escapes me. Morrison? Mulsin? Anyway, I was getting items signed for myself, and I was having my buddy get autographs for another friend of mine who was serving in Okinawa, Japan at the time in the USMC.
After paying $16 per ticket for myself and my buddy to get in autograph lines for Bettis, Faulk, and Mr. Corn-fed ($96), we made our way to the lines already forming and awaited Bettis, who was signing first. He came out, and of course I was in awe. He was fresh off a 1,429 yd rookie season. I had all of his rookie cards from the previous year at home, several of some, in fact. I had never met an NFL player, of course, let alone one I admired so.
I stepped up to the table with my most recent Beckett price guide featuring #36 on the cover. Jerome greeted me with a smile, and treated me like we were the only two people there. He asked me what I had for him, and I handed him the magazine. The whole thing is kind of a blur for me now. I'm sure I made a fool of myself, but at least I don't remember that part. He asked me who he should make out the 'graph to, and I said, "Bart." He graciously did so, smiling all the while, and thanking me for being one of his fans. He offered his hand, which I somehow managed to move to shake before moving on to await my buddy, behind me in line. His experience was just as excellent, getting the item made out to "Mike", in Japan. We both got pictures of eachother shaking his hand. Awesome. Very gracious of him.
Bettis eventually left after signing everyone's items, and we awaited the Heisman winning back from San Diego State, drafted by the Colts. He came out, sat down, and eventually we made our way to the front of the line. He just looked at me and put his hand out to take my item. I handed him my copy of Beckett Future Stars with him on the cover in his Aztecs garb. He started signing it, and I asked him if he could make it out to "Bart." He said, "I can't personalize it." I said, "You can't?" "That would be like signing my name twice. I'm not getting paid to sign my name twice," he responded. So I asked the obvious question, "If I go buy another ticket will you personalize it then?" "Yeah," he muttered. With nary a smile, he returned my item and extended a hand for me to shake. I ignored him and walked on to await my friend. And yes, I have a picture of me gaffing Marshall Faulk. He then refused my buddy's request to make it out to "Mike", even when informed of Mike's current over-seas duty. My buddy did shake his hand, but my buddy has a smirk on his face that screams, "What a jerk. This guy hasn't played one pro down and he's already an arrogant jerk." It's rather comical, really.
Well, here we are in 2005, and I am somewhat placated. Bettis has had an outstanding season harkening back to his days with the Rams, and Faulk has had a lackluster season, nothing like his days with the Colts, or Rams. While Faulk has racked up rushing stats of 11,987 yards, 100 tds, and a career avg. of 4.3 yards per carry, not to mention his 6,584 yards and 35 tds receiving, I can't help but favor Bettis' 13,294, 82 tds, and 3.8 avg over the 2 time Superbowl Champion. If anyone deserves a championship, if anyone's grace garners greatness, it's Jerome Bettis.

Jose

2005-02-14T21:40:00.000-05:00

As a self-proclaimed devil's advocate, I feel it is my duty to take unpopular stands on issues. So what, for example, if Jose Canseco's steroid claims are largely true? What happens then? Does baseball's record book become one big asteriskfest? Does MLB's credibility level fall to WWE levels?

Baseball will recover. It survived the Black Sox, Pete Rose's gambling and the Series-devouring 1994 strike. However, it'll take a long time to do so.

Just my opinion. I hope Canseco is wrong, but I have this uneasy feeling he's not.

Question of the Week

2005-02-11T00:26:00.000-05:00

Who will be in a different uniform first, Randy Moss or Freddie Mitchell? They both have excellent credentials. Guys?

Dynasty?

2005-02-08T18:24:00.000-05:00

I will admit to being a bit of an empiricist. In that vein, let us examine the scores of the Super Bowls won by the two other "dynasties" as well as the Patriots:

STEELERS 1974-1979
SB WON: 4 in 6 years
Margins of victory: 10,4,4,12
Average: 7.5

COWBOYS 1992-1995
SB WON: 3 in 4 years
Margins of victory: 35,17,10
Average: 20.7

PATRIOTS 2001-2004
SB WON: 3 in 4 years
Margins of victory: 3,3,3
Average: 3.0

It should also be noted that two of the three Patriots victories were on last-second field goals with the game tied. Last Sunday the Eagles were driving toward a potential game-tying field goal of their own when Donovan McNabb was intercepted for the third time.

Defensive genius Romeo Crennel was hired today by the Cleveland Browns where he will be their head coach. Let's see the Pats win again, without him.

I respect the Patriots. They are a great team and fun to watch. But dynasty? I dunno.

a little ditty i penned last night

2005-02-04T01:01:00.000-05:00

Super Bowl XXXIX will be played next Sunday between the favored New England Patriots and the underdog Philadelphia Eagles. The Pats will be attempting to win a third Super Bowl in four seasons, a feat accomplished only once, by the Dallas Cowboys of the mid-90's.

But all that is secondary.

Enter the Official Attention-Grabbing Black Hole of Super Bowl XXXIX, Terrell Owens and his Pennsylvania-sized ego. Either this year's Supe really is a yawner, or Owens has outdone the hype of the game itself.

Owens, you will recall, was injured several weeks ago in a game against the Cowboys -- one of the major disappointments of 2004, but that's another column -- when Roy Williams bent T.O.'s ankle into a most awkward position. He was originally expected to miss the rest of the regular season, then he was expected to miss all but the Super Bowl.

Now he's garnering more ink than the Bush Administration. Combined.

In typical "The Silence of the Gambz" fashion, I have several questions:

* "Should I care about all this?"Yes. The brash, cocky Owens has made himself bigger than the Eagles' second NFC championship, in sickness and in health. The incident I refer to as "Skankgate II," the naked embrace with Desperate Housewife Nicollette Sheridan, takes a backseat to the Anklegate fiasco.

* "Will he play?"Owens would have to be unconscious to miss this game. Even if he walks with a limp and has a cast on his foot, he'll be there, even as a top-DB-scarfing decoy.

* "Will he be effective?"Who knows? My prediction is an Eagles upset, whether Owens is a
factor or not. And Owens, whether or not he catches a pass, should be named MVP.

Most Visible Prima donna.

Philly Wins Suberbowl 24-17

2005-01-28T15:34:00.000-05:00

McNabb and company will figure out the 3-4. McNabb will use 7 different receivers, and Westbrook will have at least 175 total yards, they might even use him for punt returns (he is quite the returner, as Dave will attest). Dawkins will have 2 interceptions. TO won't play, he is just a distraction.

This is the begining of the Eagles Dynasty.

T.O.: TKO FOR XXXVIIII?

2005-01-27T13:49:00.000-05:00

Terrell Owens has not been cleared medically to play in the Super Bowl on Feb. 6, but he has indicated he will play. Let's hear from you guys...

My opinion is that Philly's only chance for an upset involves Owens playing, even as a decoy. The Patriots will have to cover him with their top corner, leaving the other Eagles receivers more open.

Is all this becoming a distraction? Should he play or should he sit?

Requiem For My Favorite Team

2005-01-24T21:29:00.000-05:00

It's become damn near impossible for me to be a Cowboys fan anymore.

Yeah, they have won five Super Bowls and appeared in an unprecedented eight. But after hearing the news last week that they won't be doing anything to improve their sorry QB situation, I basically gave up.

Go Colts!

Iggles - Pats

2005-01-24T11:46:00.000-05:00

I'm not a Pats lover; I was cheering for the Steelers on Sunday.

A couple of my co-workers asked this morning if I would be cheering for the Eagles and were disappointed when I said, "No. There is no way as a lifelong Giants' fan that I can cheer for the Eagles."

If Belichick didn't have a Giants connection, I wouldn't care at all about NE. And as it is I don't care very much.

I just hope it's a good game because August is a long way off.

gifts

2005-01-24T08:36:00.000-05:00

To Ben Roethlisberger: A hearty welcome to the real world of NFL football. This guy had arguably the best rookie QB season ever.

To Tony Dungy: A blond wig, for that game plan against the Pats last week.

To Doug Brien: A first-class seat on a flight to Canada right next to that idiot kicker, what was his name...

To John Halapchuk: A "Where's Waldo" game. Where ya been, dude?

To Dave Walker: Some rope, so that one day he can rappel his way out of Bill Belichick's ass.
;-)

GO IGGLES!

Best week of the NFL

2005-01-16T14:18:00.000-05:00

This is the best week of the NFL.

4 good games. The Steeler/Jets game was a nail biter.

The Rams suck.

It's Iggles 21, Vikes 7 with 3 minutes left in the first half right now.

I want a Steelers-Iggles SB to see the Iggles get blown out because the Steelers are a class organization and the Iggles' fans (some of my dear friends excluded) rank near the top of the league in lack of class. (No, John, not you. You're at the head of the class.)

Vikes just recovered a fumble after turning it over on downs at the Iggles 3.

This is what football is all about!

today's NFL playoffs

2005-01-16T11:04:00.001-05:00

Colts 27, PATRIOTS 24
EAGLES 31, Vikings 27

BTW, I didn't know the Steelers were going to get so lucky -- yes, I said lucky -- against the Jets last night. I predicted the Falcons to beat the Rams, but I thought at least St. Loo would show up.

today's NFL playoffs

2005-01-16T11:04:00.000-05:00

Greetings

2005-01-02T00:10:00.000-05:00

Hello. My name is Gary Gambino, but everybody calls me "Gambz". I've been writing about sports, from the rec leagues to the professional leagues, since 1995 when I graduated from the University of Louisville with a degree in Communication.

In subsequent posts I'll also tell you more about myself, my family and my friends. It should be interesting. What it won't be is politically correct. Since I am beholden to nobody in this particular forum, I will shoot from the hip, as it were.

BTW, Happy New Year!

The Sports Mob

New Rule: No BCS

Are You Ready For Some Football?

OMG

PC Runs Amok Again

D O M I N A T I O N ! ! !

XLI

Simmons' take on Steroidgate

Wetzel says this, oh, almost as well as I do:

Super Bowl X[tra]L[ow-quality

Pure Class

Way to go, Joe!

Tour de France Report, Day 1

JUST TAKE THE DAMN POLL!

I didn't know much of this...

Maybe the Apocalypse is already here aka What is this world coming to???

Foreign Objects

MotoGP Begins This Weekend

A New Office Pool

A Great Season Ended

Poetic Justice

*WHEW!*

One more to the Final Four

NCAA Basketball When all is said and done, Cardinals trump a No. 1 - CBS SportsLine.com

A Class Guy

Going, Going, Gone?

A Sunday Steroid Funny

A Carry? Holy Cow!

The Mighty Bison beat the Jayhawks

The Steroid Hearings

Congress Hearings

Bud on the Box

The third team...

Michael Jordon's New Team

E-mail to Kornheiser and Wilbon

Bonds Speaks

Perusing the NFL record book, I noticed...

The NFL rushing crown: Who's next?

Sports cards for fun & profit, then & now...

Tongue Firmly In Cheek

Rice: The Plot Thickens

Maurice

Let's let Jerry decide.

Is Randy Moss high?

Could this be...our first hyperlink?

Daytona 500

Hope(?) in Dallas

The evolution of a race fan...

Test

A Sad Day For An Addict

For this fan, sometimes it's the intangibles...

Jose

Question of the Week

Dynasty?

a little ditty i penned last night

Philly Wins Suberbowl 24-17

T.O.: TKO FOR XXXVIIII?

Requiem For My Favorite Team

Iggles - Pats

gifts

Best week of the NFL

today's NFL playoffs

today's NFL playoffs

Greetings

WHEW!