Antonio Freeman made one of the most amazing (in a bizarre way) game-winning touchdown catch we've ever seen Monday night.
The situation: Green Bay 20, Minnesota 20, overtime. Pouring rain at Lambeau Field. Pack ball, 3rd and 4 at the Viking 43. Brett Favre sees Freeman being single-covered by Cris Dishman. He throws it long. Dishman misses the interception and bats the ball about the 15. The ball starts falling to the ground where it bounces off of Freeman's helmet, rolls off his upper back and is about an inch from the turf when he catches it. Not being touched, Freeman gets up and runs into the end zone. Pack wins, 26-20.
BOTTOM OF THE WEEK
THE BCS SUCKS
The Bowl Championship Series sucks.
Presently, Florida State stands at #2 while Miami is at #3. We could be facing a situation where Florida State plays the winner of the (assumed) Oklahoma-Nebraska Big XII Championship game in the
Orange Bowl, and Miami, who BEAT FSU, gets locked out of the big game because of a computer. In a sadistic way, we hope this happens-at least a playoff system would have one more school as a big fan.
Then again, with that logic, since Florida State lost to Miami, and Miami lost to Washington, and Washington lost to Oregon, then the Ducks should be playing for the National Championship. THAT would be cool.
HIGHLIGHTS OF THE WEEK
IF THE ELECTION
WAS A FOOTBALL GAME
By Jim Buzinski
Outsports.com
Confused about the presidential election? Not sure if Bush or Gore is the winner? Just think of it as a football game, albeit one that lasts six months.
The Repubs are coached by George ``Denny Green'' Bush, a guy with a great regular season record (the primaries) but a stiff in the playoffs. How else to explain the Repubs maybe blowing a win they had for sure on Saturday? On the other side are the Dems, led by coach Al ``Marty Schottenheimer'' Gore. Like Bush, he looks great early in the season (the convention) but turns stiff in the playoffs and can't seem to put the game away in a lockbox.
Bush is Green's '98 Vikings, favored at home to win the NFC Championship ... until a kicker who has not missed all year misses. Gore is Schottenheimer's '95 Chiefs with a 13-3 record going against what seems an inferior opponent. But then his QB throws three interceptions and his kicker is wide on three field goals.
The first quarter is all Repub, using quick strikes and the best offense money can buy to build a 14-0 lead over an opponent who keeps changing his game plan. This would be the period from the end of the primaries to the conventions.
The Repubs go up, 17-0, early in the second after a rousing sideline speech where Bush tells his team to stay united, not divided. Championship thoughts are in their heads.
But the Dems stages a stunning rally, sparked by a passionate kiss by Gore of his quarterback Tipper. Thus inspired by Mr. ``I Will Fight for You,'' the Dems run off three touchdowns and go into halftime leading, 21-17. It's anybody's game.
The third period (from Labor Day through the three debates) is a roller-coaster. The Repubs are caught transmitting subliminal messages to the refs and are assessed an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that moves the Dems into field goal range. But the Dem kicker misses a chip shot when he's distracted by Gore's sighing. The Repubs then march down the field with the momentum and score to lead, 24-21.
The final period is trench warfare, with mud flying everywhere and personal foul penalties rampant. And that's just the commercials. Bush shows he may not be up for the job by punting on second down. Gore's excessive sweating, though, causes the ball to become slippery and the Dems turn it over on their next possession.
The stalemate works to the Repubs advantage and they have the lead (24-21) and the ball with under two minutes to go and the Dems out of timeouts. But Bush, doing his best Denny Green imitation, decides to run a play with 30 seconds left. Shockingly, the Repubs fumble running out of their DUI formation, the Dems scoop up the ball and race into the end zone for a stunning 28-24 lead and apparent win. All the networks project the game for Gore and get ready for the post-game celebration.
But wait, the Repubs take the ensuing kickoff to midfield and have time for one play. Call it ``Palm Beach County Right, Vote Buchanan.'' A Hail Barbara pass is launched and the Repubs catch it in the end zone as the gun goes off. Jubiliation in Austin, despair in Nashville.
But hold on. The refs are huddling at midfield. Did the Repub receiver have both feet inbounds? Will the play stand? It's time for instant replay. Jesse Jackson is threatening lawsuits if the will of the fans is not upheld. After a painstaking frame-by-frame recounting of the play, the refs finally reach their verdict.