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10.31.2003
More Labor Unrest?: Major league baseball seems to have a knack for doing the wrong thing. The list is too extensive to go in to here, but the latest rumblings could have serious repercussions.
Major leaguers have until November 9th to file for free agency. As of tonight, well over a hundred players have already filed. Unlike last year's slim pickings, there's some excellent players available this time around (Vladimir Gurrero, Miguel Tejada, Andy Pettite among others). The reason this might be important is that the player's union is making noises about filing a collusion grievance against the owners, claiming that the owners are banding together to keep salaries down. Since last year's crop of free agents were fairly unremarkable, the owners could claim that the low salaries offered were justified. That wouldn't be a credible claim this year.
This affects the labor situation in baseball as one of the shadows looming over the labor negotiations of recent years has been the rulings in the mid-80's that owners had colluded to keep salaries down. The owners were fined $280 million dollars and told to behave. With a labor shutdown avoided at the last moment during the 2002 season, there has been an uneasy truce between labor and management since. If the players union sues the owners over collusion, what little good will that has been accrued will be wiped out.
10.30.2003
Great Debut for James: The Cleveland Cavaliers lost, but 18-year-old rookie LeBron James was great in his NBA debut. James had 25 points, nine assists, six rebounds and four steals in the Cavs 106-92 loss at Sacramento, one of the toughest places to play in the league. ?It was the first I've seen of him, and I was real impressed. He's the real deal,'' Sacramento center Vlade Divac said. James has come into the league with more hype than anyone since Michael Jordan and he will be under a microscope in every game. So far he?s saying the right things. ``I'm just going to try to do the best I can,'' James said after his debut.
10.29.2003
Gay Drama on ESPN: It was drama queen night on ESPN, as the network ran an episode of its fictional pro football show ?Playmakers? with a gay storyline.
?Playmakers? is a pretty lame show, a soap opera without the devilish fun found in the best of them. It?s way too preachy and every plot line is a downer. These guys are millionaire pro athletes?they should be having at least a little fun. But Tuesday?s gay-themed episode at least brought the issue of sexuality and sports to millions.
The basic plot: All-Pro receiver Guerwitz is outed in front of the team by his jilted ex-boyfriend David after deciding to marry a woman to quash gay rumors. Upstanding Coach Mike George stands by his player and the locker room is split. Guerwitz finally comes out to team, sounding more like the president of the Human Rights Campaign than a wide receiver. Evil homophobic owner Wilbanks blackmails Guerwitz to get him off the team. Players preach their positions more than converse and all sides of the issue are explored: An openly gay player will be a distraction, especially in the shower; teammates will be out to get him; let he without sin cast the first stone, blah, blah, blah. Throw in a few ?bullshits? and some rear nudity and it made for a somewhat engrossing mish-mash. There?s even a Mike Piazza-like moment when quarterback Derek McConnell comes out to the media as straight.
Despite the episode?s myriad flaws, it was ultimately gay-positive (despite the downer ending), showing those against Guerwitz to be unsavory hypocrites and coming to the conclusion that all that should matter to a team is how a player performs on the field, not whom he sleeps with off it. We can only hope that one day we see this as a reality and not just fiction. For those that missed it, the show is repeated throughout the week on ESPN and ESPN2.
Jim Buzinski
10.28.2003
Miami Beats San Diego in Arizona: The Miami Dolphins beat the San Diego Chargers, 26-10, in one of the weirdest Monday Night Football settings ever. Deadly wildfires in San Diego County forced the NFL to move the game to Phoenix, 300 miles away. Tickets were distributed free and all 73,000 were handed out; the crowd was larger than any that has seen the hometown Cardinals play this year. Five Cardinal players worked ticket lines, soliciting donations for fire victims.
The game itself was a bore, with the Dolphins defense dominating the inept Chargers. New Miami QB Brian Griese threw three touchdown passes, but wasn?t asked to do a whole lot. In contrast, San Diego QB Drew Brees was awful, throwing three interceptions. All in all, it was a night the Chargers would rather forget.
10.27.2003
Biggest Fish in the Sea: Congratulations to the Florida Marlins for beating the New York Yankees in six games to win the World Series. Pitcher Josh Beckett, 23, was superb in tossing a five-hit shutout to win the deciding game at Yankee Stadium. He looked as relaxed as if he was pitching in a spring training game.
Despite some purists insisting that this was an interesting Series, most of the country thought otherwise. The event ranked as the third-lowest rated ever. It?s easy to see why: Florida has no national profile or stars, and people are sick of seeing the Yankees. The good news is that, unlike when they won it all in 1997, the Marlins will not dismantle the team in the offseason. This will give fans in South Florida a chance to form an attachment to a young, exciting team that deserved its title.
Wild One Down South: Perhaps the most amazing game played all weekend was down in Tuscaloosa, Ala., where Tennessee beat Alabama, 51-43, in the five-overtime college football thriller. The Vols won it on a Casey Clausen 1-yard run, then had to sweat out a last drive by the Crimson Tide. "This game will go down as a Tennessee-Alabama classic," Tennessee linebacker Robert Peace said. "I'm just glad we were on the right side." .
NFL Week 8: Sunday was another wild day in the NFL. Check out our weekly look at all the doings in the league.
10.25.2003
Riley Calls It Quits: Pat Riley shocked the pro basketball world by announcing as head coach of the Miami Heat, just days before the season opener. Riley, who will remain as team president, will be replaced by assistant Stan Van Gundy.
Riley?s Heat team has missed the playoffs the past two seasons, but he said losing wasn?t the reason for his leaving. It's not about me today. It really isn't," Riley said. "It's about the Heat and all those season ticket-holders that have bought seats and sponsors that are starting to come out now because of Caron Butler, Dwyane Wade, Lamar Odom and the possibilities of those guys. It isn't because of me. It's time to do this."
Riley won four title as coach of the ?80s Showtime Lakers, but his New York Knicks and Heat teams of the 1990s were known more for their defense and played a boring, plodding style.
10.24.2003
Marlins Take Lead: When the baseball playoffs began, few casual fans took the Florida Marlins seriously. All the talk was about the Yankees, Red Sox, Cubs, Giants, Braves or Athletics. Florida was an afterthought.
But the New York Yankees are finding out what baseball people have known all year?the Fish can play. The Marlins beat the Yankees, 6-4, in Game 5 of the World Series to take a 3-2 lead. The Yankees rallied for two runs in the ninth but watched as a potential Bernie Williams? two-run home run became a long out instead.
The Series heads back to New York and the Marlins would be well advised to wrap it up in Game 6. No visiting team has won a Game 7 World Series game since 1979, going 0-7 (including the last two years).
10.23.2003
Marlins Win in Dramatic Fashion: The Florida Marlins won Game 4 of the World Series over the New York Yankees, 4-3, on a 12th inning home run by Alex Gonzalez. The series is now tied at 2-2. Gonzalez?s home run helped Florida prevent a late-inning collapse that saw the Marlins lose a 3-1 two-out, ninth-inning lead when Ruben Sierra hit a two-run triple.
Yankees starter Roger Clemens, making his final start after an illustrious career, gave up three first-inning runs and lasted seven innings. Florida?s win ensures there will be a Game 6 in New York on Saturday.
Hokies Stunned: Well, so much for a showdown. Third-ranked Virginia Tech went into West Virginia unbeaten and aiming for a Nov. 1 battle with No. 2 Miami. But the Hokies left Morgantown 28-7 losers on Wednesday and likely blew any chance they had of playing for college football?s national title. The Mountaineers were led by Quincy Wilson, who rushed for a season-high 178 yards.
10.22.2003
Yankees Take Game 3: The New York Yankees broke open a close game by scoring four runs in the top of the ninth to beat the Florida Marlins, 6-1, and take a 2-1 lead in the World Series. The game was halted by a 39-minute rain delay with the score tied at 1-1 in the fifth.
Let?s be honest?this Series has been less than scintillating so far. The Yankees have won the last two games by a combined 12-2 and there is an energy lacking. The purists may want to talk about how interesting this series could be, but so far we haven?t seen it. Our Discussion Board is often a good barometer of interest. In our World Series thread, much of the discussion has to do with TV ratings and Fox?s coverage; there is almost no talk about the games themselves. We can only hope the Marlins make this interesting during the two remaining games in Miami.
10.21.2003
Chiefs Still Perfect: The Kansas City Chiefs became the NFL?s first 7-0 team when they hung on for a 17-10 Monday night win at Oakland. The Raiders had a chance to tie, but backup quarterback Marques Tuiasosopo?s last-play pass to Tim Brown was down at the 1-yard line.
It?s hard to decide just how good the Chiefs are. On the one hand, they won their last four games by 7, 1, 6 (in overtime) and 7 and had to rally or hang on in each. On the other hand, three of those four wins were on the road in tough places to play such as Green Bay and Oakland. They?re good, but not dominant.
10.20.2003
Yanks Tie Up Series: Hideki Matsui hit a three-run home run in the first and Game 2 of the World Series was all but over. Andy Pettitte pitched a marvelous game as the New York Yankees beat the Florida Marlins, 6-1, to tie the series at one game apiece. Pettitte scattered six hits and had seven strikeouts in handcuffing the Marlins.
Florida, which won Game 1 on Saturday, now heads back to South Florida for the next three games. After the two scintillating League Championship Series Game 7?s, the World Series has been a bit of a downer so far. But the beauty of baseball is that a best-of-seven can allow a series to develop its own momentum and drama and we hope Florida and New York are up to the task. .
NFL Week 7: Sunday was another wild day in the NFL. Check out our weekly look at all the doings in the league.
MAC Flexes Muscles: Those are not typos in college football?Northern Illinois (#12) and Bowling Green (#23) are both in the Top 25 in the latest poll. It is the first time in 30 years the Mid-American Conference has had two ranked teams. At the top of the poll, Oklahoma, Miami and Virginia Tech remain unbeaten and ranked 1-2-3, with one-loss Georgia and USC close by. Since Miami and Virginia Tech play each other, some movement will occur as we get closer to bowl announcement time in a few weeks.
10.17.2003
Midnight Madness 2003: Since Lefty Driesell did it at Maryland in 1970, college basketball's Midnight Madness has become something of a tradition--and a marketing ploy. By NCAA rules, tonight at 12:01 am is the first moment that men's and women's college basketball teams can practice. With the event now receiving ESPN coverage, it's become more of a marketing plot to hype a program than a serious practice to get a team ready for the season.
Three storied men's hoops programs get fresh starts under new coaches this season. Perennial bridesmaid Roy William left Kansas to return to a program many thought he should have left for a few years ago, the University of North Carolina TarHeels. The 'Heels have underachieved in recent years under Brad Doherty, but Williams figures to get a grace period as he returns to a program where he was an assistant to Dean Smith for many years. At the job he vacated, former Illinois coach Bill Self will try to continue the run of success that Williams had for 14 years, with the expectation that he might be the one to actually win Kansas the national championship that eluded them during Williams' tenure.
Here in Los Angeles, Ben Howland left Pittsburgh to take his "dream job" at UCLA, that graveyard of coaches since John Wooden retired in 1975. The final years of Steve Lavin's reign were not pretty, either in the media or on the court, so Howland has a big task ahead of him as he tries to restore integrity and hard play to Pauley Pavilion.
In something of a rarity, both the men's and women's teams at the University of Connecticut figure to start the season at No. 1 in the polls. Geno Auriemma's Huskies have won four national titles, including 2 consecutively. Jim Calhoun's men's team won the national title in 1999 but both programs figure to be in the thick of things at tournament time.
10.16.2003
The Curse Is Alive and Well, Part 2: Game 7 of the American League Championship Series between the visiting Boston Red Sox and the storied New York Yankees figured to be a classic. And it was.
As a friend of ours maintains, sports is the only form of drama where no one knows the outcome in advance. Unless it's a college basketball fixing scandal, of course! But his point holds after tonight's game:
* The Red Sox jumped out to an early 4-1 lead
* The Red Sox have a 5-3 lead which they squander. The Red Sox manager Grady Little will be harshly criticized for leaving a tiring Pedro Martinez in, only pulling him with the score tied 5-5.
* The game goes to extra innings, with the Yankees very cute Aaron Boone sending the Bronx Bombers in the World Series by hitting a lead-off home run in the bottom of the 11th inning. The Yankees now have a chance to win their 27th title.
World Series bore?: With the Yankees win, they will now face the feisty Florida Marlins in the World Series. On paper, this has all the earmarks of a boring, rote Yankees win. But the Marlins are being portrayed as this year's "Anaheim Angels", a team of relative unknowns who are playing against a team that is thought to be superior. Fox Sports--and a certain segment of baseball fans--would have preferred a Boston Red Sox vs. Chicago Cubs World Series, but both of those teams only added to their reputations as "cursed" teams, doomed to never win a championship again.
10.15.2003
The Curse Is Alive and Well: It's been kind of fun to joke about the Chicago Cubs and their Curse, which has it that they are doomed never to appear in another World Series. But Cubs fans aren't likely to be in a laughing mood as their team completed one of the great collapses in playoff history.
By losing at home 9-6 to the Florida Marlins tonight, the Cubs squandered a 3-2 series advantage. The Marlins became one of four teams--the 1985 Royals, the 1986 Red Sox and the 1996 Braves are the other three--to have rallied from 3-1 deficits in League Championship Series history. The Cubs figured to be in good shape tonight with ace Kerry Wood pitching, but he lasted only 5 2/3 innings, giving up 7 runs. The Cubs couldn't make up the difference and so a long, cold, windy winter of "What if?" will commence in Chicago. The man who disrupted Moises Alou as the Cubs left fielder attempted to make a crucial catch in Game 6 will now instantly become the most hated man in Chicago; we hope no harm comes to him.
Still Alive: In circumstances somewhat less dramatic, the Boston Red Sox staved off elimination from the American Championship Series by also winning a road game 9-6. The New York Yankees had a chance to put away their bitter rivals but instead set up a potentially classic showdown on Thursday night in Game 7. With two pitchers who were the center of much controversy in Game 3, the Yanks' Roger Clemens and the Sox Pedro Martinez, again matching up, there's plenty of storylines going in to the series decider. Yankee Stadium figures to live up to its reputation as the Bronx Zoo and it's certain that Martinez will get a less than cordial welcome.
10.14.2003
History Repeats: Going in to the baseball postseason, a fair amount of fans (and Fox Sports) were hoping for a Chicago Cubs vs. Boston Red Sox World Series. It had a built in storyline: the "loveable losers" the Cubs vs. the "cursed" Red Sox, both franchises no stranger to heartbreak.
That matchup in the World Series looks much less probable tonight as both teams suffered crucial home game losses. The Red Sox lost at Fenway Park to a resilient New York Yankees team, 4-2. The Yankees now take a 3-2 lead in the often contentious best-of-seven series that heads back to Yankee Stadium for Game 6 on Wednesday. It doesn't look good for the Red Sox Nation.
The Cubs completely collapsed with the finish line in sight. Leading their best-of-seven series against the Florida Marlins 3-2, they were up 3-0 in the 8th inning with their stud pitcher, Mark Prior on the mound. A controversial play in left field let the flood gates open: a foul ball was interefered with by a fan, causing an angry reaction from Cubs left-fielder Moises Alou. It was debateable whether Alou would have ultimately caught the ball, but what is not in doubt is that poor fielding, poor pitching and great Marlins hitting resulted in a lopsided 8-3 Marlins win. Game 7 is Wednesday night and it's likely that Cubs fans will be fearing the worst. If the Cubs do lose Game 7, it will go down as one of the great choke jobs in baseball history.
Happy Birthday, Coach: Legendary college basketball coach John Wooden turned 93 on Tuesday. His 10 NCAA men's basketball titles with the ULCA Bruins is a record that is likely never to be topped. Walking away from coaching in 1975, he hasn't looked back. He's a much in-demand motivational speaker and mentor to a younger--much younger--generation of coaches. Former players speak reverently of him; at a recent gathering, 70 of them turned up to pay tribute to the Indiana native. Happy Birthday, Coach.
10.13.2003
Finally, baseball, not hype: We spent the weekend in Boston playing in a flag football tournament. While we loved the city and the people, the hype surrounding the Red Sox vs. Yankees series was unreal. After Saturday's by-now infamous basebrawl between the two teams, the local TV news we were watching had the Sox as the first six stories. You got the feeling that a nuclear device could have detonated on Boston Common and they still would have shown Pedro Martinez throwing 72-year old Yankee coach Don Zimmer to the ground in a continuous loop.
That aside, Boston is totally in the grip of Sox Fever. Sunday's game was rained and that had the effect of calming down emotions between the teams and within the media a little. It was nice to finally get back to the reason the two teams were in town, to play baseball, on Monday. With the Yankees ahead 2-1 in the best of 7 series, Tim Wakefield's knuckleball was working well for seven innings and when you add in homers by the handsome Todd Walker and American League Division Series hero Trot Nixon, it adds up to a 3-2 Red Sox victory that ties the series at 2-2.
Scott Williamson had the whole Red Sox nation on the edge of their seats after he gave up a homer to Ruben Sierra in the 9th inning. He survived, and so did the Red Sox. The pivotal Game 5 is Tuesday.
Snooze: After last Monday night's incredible finish between the Indianoplis Colts and Tampa Bay Bucaneers, tonight's Monday night matchup between the Atlanta Falcons and St. Louis Rams didn't figure to come close in terms of drama. It didn't, as the Rams romped to a 36-0 victory over the disappointing Falcons.
ABC has lobbied the NFL for more flexibility in choosing the Monday night games and this game is an example why: in the pre-season, the Falcons with Michael Vick were the "buzz" team. With him injured, they're mediocre at best and not worth the slot on Monday night.
10.10.2003
Taking a Break: The hard-working editors at Jock Talk have decided to take a couple of days off. The next installment will appear Monday.
10.9.2003
Cubs, Red Sox Win: The Chicago Cubs took batting practice against the Florida Marlins in Game 2 of their National League Championship Series, winning 12-3 to tie things up. Kenny Lofton went 4 for 5, while Alex Gonzalez drove in three runs and had a home run. The Cubbies have scored 20 runs against the Marlins in two games, a bad omen if the Fish hope to win the series.
The Boston Red Sox went into Yankee Stadium and came away with a 5-2 win in Game 1 of the ALCS. David Ortiz, the Game 5 hero in the series against Oakland, ledf the way with a two-run home run. The win was big for the Sox, since it now gives them the home advantage in the series.
10.8.2003
Marlins Take Game 1: Game 1 of the National League Championship Series between the Florida Marlins and Chicago Cibs resembled one of those April days at Wrigley where the wind is blowing out. The two teams combined for a record-tying seven home runs, along with four triples and six doubles, with the Marlins pulling out a dramatic 9-8 win on Mike Lowell?s homer.
Chicago was rocking in the bottom of the ninth when Sammy Sosa tied the game with a two-run, two-out blast. It was a great TV moment as the ball Sosa hit landed among a mob on Wayland Ave. But the resilient Marlins never cracked and now have grabbed the home-field advantage, for what it?s worth.
10.7.2003
Red Sox Rally for Win: Fox got the American League Championship Series it wanted when the Boston Red Sox beat the Oakland A?s, 4-3, in the deciding Game 5. Boston now plays the hated New York Yankees.
The Sox were led by Manny Ramirez?s three-run home run, then hung on as the A?s loaded the bases in the ninth but failed to score. It was a pathetic display of batting by Oakland in the ninth?two batters were called out on strikes (unforgivable in that situation) and they couldn?t even muster a fly ball with a runner on third and one out. It was also the fourth straight year that the A?s have lost in Game 5 of the first round and now are 0-9 in games where they could have clinched.
Being a neutral observer, we couldn?t help but notice that Fox?s bias was showing. Everything seemed to revolve around how the particular game situation affected the Red Sox and their fans, and the live remotes from Jillian?s, a Beantown bar, got annoying very fast.
Colts Make History in Win: They've been playing pro football since the 1920s and in the thousands of games, no team that trailed by 21 or more points with less than four minutes remaining had ever won. Until Monday.
Those of you that went to bed or shut off the TV with Tampa Bay leading Indianapolis, 35-14, and 3:46 remaining, missed a game for the ages. The Colts mounted a furious rally to tie the game with 35 seconds remaining, then won on a 29-yard field goal by Mike Vanderjagt in overtime to shock the Bucs, 38-35.
In a game filed with huge plays, costly penalties and amazing performances, the biggest play was a ticky-tack call in OT. The Colts had just missed a 40-yard field goal, but got a second chance when Tampa's Simeon Rice was flagged for illegal leaping. The call was technically correct but was a stretch. To cap it off, the winning kick was heading wide right but a Buc tipped it enough to change the trajectory. The ball hit the right upright and bounced in. Amazing.
10.6.2003
Tradition Holds in Baseball:The New York Yankees, Boston Red Sox and Chicago Cubs are three of the most tradition-laden teams in baseball, and all are still alive in the playoffs. The Yankees and Cubs have made the American League and National League championship series respectively, while the Red Sox have forced a deciding Game 5 Monday in Oakland.
The Cubs and stud pitcher Kerry Wood beat the favored Atlanta Braves and will face the upstart Florida Marlins for the right to play in the World Series. It was the Cubs' first win in the postseason since 1908, when their winning pitcher was Roger Clemens. We know who Fox, which televises the games, is rooting for and it isn?t the Fish, despite their stirring Game 4 win over San Francisco.
NFL Week 5: Sunday was another wild day in the NFL. Check out our weekly look at all the doings in the league.
10.4.2003
Kopay Goes Back to SF: For the first time since he came out 26 years ago, ex-NFL player David Kopay is attending a reunion of San Francisco 49ers alumni, when the 49ers play the Detroit Lions. In story in the Oakland Tribune by Roger Phillips, Kopay said he was looking forward to the event,
"I think I'm going to be pretty relaxed," Kopay said. "I'm really looking forward to the game. I always thought highly of (Detroit's Steve) Mariucci as a coach. I think of all the teams I played for, my first love was the 49ers. That's where I started, so that's who I usually cheer for.
"I'm looking forward to them playing Detroit, another team I played for. I have great memories there when I played for Detroit. Alex Karras practically adopted me as a younger brother. That was probably one of the most traumatic times of my life. That was right when I was really facing up to who I am and what I am."
Kopay said he also wouldn?t mind meeting 49ers running back Garrison Hearst, who apologized last year after saying he didn?t want any ?faggots? on his team.
?"I hadn't planned on it. But you know what? I think I should introduce myself. And I think I would like to thank him for his apology. And just leave it at that. And if he had any questions he'd like to ask me, I would answer them. And I would tell him I would hope that he would never, ever be so insensitive again."
Kopay played in the NFL from 1964-72 and came out in 1977 with his now-classic book, ?The David Kopay Story.?
10.3.2003
Sox Almost Done: The cruel thing about the baseball playoffs is that success in 162 games can be undone in less than a day. Less than 15 hours after losing Game 1 of their playoff series to Oakland, the Boston Red Sox fell again to the A?s, 5-1, and are now down 2-0 in their best-of-five series. Boston gets the advantage of being home the next two games, but things don?t look good. In the other American League series, the New York Yankees beat the Minnesota Twins, 4-1, to tie their series. The Twins are thrilled to be going back to the Metrodome for Games 3 and 4, a place where they are 13-3 in the postseason.
Close Call for Canes: Miami, the No. 2 college football team, needed a 23-yard field goal by freshman Jon Peattie to beat unranked West Virginia, 22-20, on Thursday. The Canes came through in the clutch on the final drive, as quarterback Brock Berlin hit Kellen Winslow on 4th and 13 from the WVU 25. An incompletion or a shorter gain would have prevented Miami from winning its 37th straight regular season game.
10.2.2003
The Squeeze Play: Many Bostonians are waking up this morning only to find that, whether they watched until 3am or got a restless night's sleep, the curse continues. The Oakland A's used a squeeze play in the bottom of the 12th to beat the Boston Red Sox in the first game of their ALDS, 5-4.
Limbaugh Quits ESPN: Conservative commentator Rush Limbaugh,
hired by ESPN to provide controversy to its pregame NFL show, quit on
Wednesday after providing a bit too much controversy.
Limbaugh announced his resignation after a storm of attention over his comments Sunday about Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb. Here is what Limbaugh said: "Donovan McNabb is regressing, he's going backwards. And ... I'm sorry to say this, I don't think he's been that good from the get-go. I think what we've had here is a little social concern in the NFL. I think the media has been very desirous that a black quarterback do well. They're interested in black coaches and black quarterbacks doing well; I think there is a little hope invested in McNabb, and he got a lot of credit for the performance of his team that he really didn't deserve."
The comment generated little discussion at the time but turned into a tempest by midweek. Limbaugh defended his comments on his radio show, saying the furor proved his theory was correct. But he later submitted his resignation, saying in a statement: "I offered an opinion. This opinion has caused discomfort to the crew, which I regret. I love 'NFL Sunday Countdown' and do not want to be a distraction to the great work done by all who work on it."
"It's somewhat shocking to hear that on national TV from him," McNabb said earlier in reaction to the comments. "It's not something that I can sit here and say won't bother me."
The NFL was upset by Limbaugh's comments, the Washington Post reported, saying that Commissioner Paul Tagliabue personally called McNabb to offer his support.
10.1.2003
Baseball Playoffs Start: Let?s state the obvious?Atlanta Braves fans are spoiled and jaded. How could they not be, after the Braves have won 12 straight titles but only one World Series? Still, it was shocking to see The Ted turned into Wrigley Field South as the Chicago Cubs beat the Braves, 4-2, in Game 1 of their playoff series. If you didn?t know the game was in Atlanta, you would have swore it was a Cubs home game given the loud response any time the Cubbies did something positive.
Kerry Wood, the Cubs star pitcher, drove in two runs and struck out 11. He acknowledged the Cubs fan after the game. ''They've been following us all year,'' Wood said. ''It sounded like half and half.''
In other playoff openers, the San Francisco Giants and Jason Schmidt shut out Florida, 2-0, while the Minnesota Twins went into Yankee Stadium and came out 3-1 winners. All first-round series are best 3 of 5.
Galindo Has Hip Surgery: Rudy Galindo, the openly gay former U.S. figure skating men?s champion and world bronze medalist, underwent his second successful hip-replacement surgery, this time on his right hip, at the Washoe Medical Center in Reno, Nev.
Performed by Dr. Eric Boyden, new ?ceramic-on-ceramic? technology has enabled Rudy to have been through two surgeries within two months. Galindo?s left hip replacement occurred six weeks ago today, and his rehabilitation since then has been remarkable, a spokesman said. ?His world-class athleticism definitely contributed to his short recovery time,? Boyden. He expects Galindo to have a full and complete recovery by February.
?I learned a lot from the therapy following my first surgery, and I will use that experience to my advantage in reducing my complete recovery time,? Galindo said. ?I want to be back on the ice by March skating at a level equal to or greater than before the operations.?
9.30.2003
Packers Open Soldier Field the Way They Closed it: No active quarterback has beaten another team as much as Brett Favre has beaten the Chicago Bears. He is now 19-4 against the denizens of Soldier Field, beating them badly on Monday Night Football, 38-23. And it wasn't that close. Ahman Green set the tone early, busting a 60-yard run for a touchdown just three minutes into the game. While the Bears had high hopes for the rededication of Soldier Field, they should have known better with Kordell Stewart at the helm.
Brenda Warner Trusts God: Brenda Warner sounded off on "Steve and D.C." that she and her husband, deposed Rams quarterback Kurt Warner, would be anxious for a trade if things kept up the way they are in St. Louis.
"We're open for anything. We've always said we trust God in everything that happens for us. This is one of the things that we've got, again, to put our trust in Him and know that He'll take care of us."
Brenda Warner is best known for her absurd hair, absurd clothes, and absurd statements about God, her husband, and whatever else she decides to open her mouth about.
9.29.2003
Gay Old Time in Chicago: Received this note from a friend who was at Wrigley Field in Chicago on Saturday when the Cubs won their first division title in 14 years: ?The Chicago Gay Men's Chorus, sang the National Anthem at beautiful Wrigley Field and, lo and behold, the Cubs won a doubleheader (the third in last 17 over 10 years) and I'm sure you know the rest. Ah, what a
glorious day!?
The Cubs will play the Atlanta Braves in one National League playoff series. The other pits Florida against San Francisco. In the American League, New York plays Minnesota and Boston plays Oakland.
NFL Week 5: Sunday was another wild day in the NFL. Check out our weekly look at all the doings in the league.
9.27.2003
Holy Injuries! If you're in a fantasy football league, you are very aware of the injuries to running backs in the NFL. Four of the top ten fantasy running backs - Priest Holmes, Clinton Portis, Travis Henry and Edgerrin James are all listed as questionable for the upcoming week. Plus, Corey Dillon is also questionable and Marshall Faulk is out. We can't remember so many running backs being so banged up so early in the season.
The Marlins Are Back: Six years ago, they went from chumps to champs and back to chumps again. Now, the Florida Marlins have nearly come full circle, making the MLB playoffs for the first time since winning it all in 1997 by beating the New York Mets, 4-3, on Friday night. The Mets are now eliminated from contention.
9.26.2003
Bosox in Playoffs: The Boston Red Sox won the American League wild-card slot on Thursday and made the baseball playoffs for the first time in 1999. This means once again that Red Sox Nation, which has waited for a World Series title since 1918, will once again have the pleasure of suffering through a playoff series. And yes, Red Sox fans do enjoy their suffering and wear it as a badge of honor. Boston will play Oakland in one AL playoff series, while Minnesota plays the New York Yankees.
Four Leave Park: Carlos Delgado of the Toronto Blue Jays hit four home runs against Tampa Bay, becoming the 15th player in history with that many in a game. Delgado?s first blast was the 300th home run of his career. His amazing day came despite his battling a cold.
9.25.2003
Playoffs Take Shape: Baseball?s postseason took a big step towards clarity after Wednesday?s action. In the National League, the Florida Marlins all but eliminated the Philadelphia Phillies and should join San Francisco and Atlanta in the postseason. The closest race is still in the Central, where the Cubs hold a one-game lead over Houston with three left.
In the American League, New York, Minnesota and Oakland are division winners, while Boston has a comfortable 3 οΎ½-game lead over Seattle for the wild card.
On the Shelf: For those of us who play fantasy football or are just NFL fans, this could be a bleak week. Some of the stars who might miss NFL action (though some are on the bubble) includes: Running back Edgerrin James, Marshall Faulk, Clinton Portis and Travis Henry, along with quarterbacks Daunte Culpepper and Kelly Holcomb. We imagine a lot of fantasy players are already combing their league waiver wires, though the pickings will be slim.
9.24.2003
Marlins Rally for Win: The Philadelphia Phillies led the Florida Marlins, 3-0, in the seventh inning and were closing in on sending the National League wild card race into a tie. Then the roof caved in. Jeff Conine?s three-run home run off Kevin Milwood was the big blow in a five-run seventh as the Marlins stunned the Phils, 5-4. Florida now leads the wild card race by two games with only five games left and Tuesday may be remembered as another day of infamy in Philadelphia baseball history.
Meanwhile, the Minnesota Twins and New York Yankees clinched their respective American League divisions?the Twins the Central and the Yanks the East.
