Monday, September 8, 2003
Tales From The Weekend
NFL Picks: I thought I'd be the only one touting the Indianapolis Colts as this year's projected Super Bowl winner. But lo and behold, there was Jim Nantz on CBS's pregame show telling us the Colts will meet the Buccaneers in the big game. Nantz of course was the one who gave a Tampa Bay-Oakland prognostication before last season. Not only that, but Boomer Esiason picked the Colts and the Rams, matching my two selections.
Wild-Card Rant: Does the wild-card format make everyone stupid, or just Joe Morgan?
After last night's Phillies-Mets game, won by Philly in a riveting 11 innings, Morgan said that's the beauty of baseball this time of year: We get an exciting game played by teams that still have a stake in the playoff chase. Without referring specifically to the wild-card system--but obviously that's what he meant--he implied that if we didn't have it, the game "wouldn't have had the same meaning for the Phillies."
Joe, if we didn't have the wild-card format, this game would have had first-place implications. Last night's win would have given the Phils a one-game lead over Florida for first place. Remember? The Phillies and Marlins were in the East Division pre-1994, but the Braves were in the West.
First Place. Don't make me say it again.
Maybe The Wild-Card System Doesn't Make Everyone Stupid, But The Two-Point Conversion Sure Does: The situation: Miami trails Florida State 33-25 in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter. Brock Berlin throws a touchdown pass to Ryan Moore. Now the score is 33-31. Miami then goes for the two-point conversion, and gets it, tying the game at 33.
Uhhh....wait a minute....
Actually, I've just been told the Hurricanes went for the extra point kick.
Hang on, let me check the scoring summary again...let's see if we have this right....
Yep. Miami went for one point, making it 33-32.
Huh. That's interesting.
No, it's not! It's not interesting! It's friggin' stupid! Why the hell do you go for one in the fourth quarter when you are down by two? Do they teach Math 101 at Miami, jackasses?
Not only that, why did you go for two in the third quarter when you should have gone for one? If you go for two when you trail by 17 and fail, that means you are now three scores behind, instead of being two scores behind at 16 points back.
One thing's for sure: Larry Coker, you are an idiot. There are no two ways about that. Somebody take that useless little headset he's wearing and burn it.
Stupid NFL Rules: What's with this "he would have come down in bounds if he hadn't been nudged by the defender" crap? Last night's Titans-Raiders game provided an excellent example of the NFL's penchant for enacting ridiculous rules. Derrick Mason was still going upwards when he crossed the back line of the end zone. There was no way he would have come down in bounds if there had been no contact. Besides, shouldn't the defender be allowed to nudge you out of bounds? Shouldn't that be part of the job?
49ers Beat Chicago 49-7: I have no idea what to say about this game, because the stupid local Fox affiliate here in Portland put on the Aints-Seabiscuits game. This Seattle-ite invasion of Portland is insane.
Wild-Card Rant: Does the wild-card format make everyone stupid, or just Joe Morgan?
After last night's Phillies-Mets game, won by Philly in a riveting 11 innings, Morgan said that's the beauty of baseball this time of year: We get an exciting game played by teams that still have a stake in the playoff chase. Without referring specifically to the wild-card system--but obviously that's what he meant--he implied that if we didn't have it, the game "wouldn't have had the same meaning for the Phillies."
Joe, if we didn't have the wild-card format, this game would have had first-place implications. Last night's win would have given the Phils a one-game lead over Florida for first place. Remember? The Phillies and Marlins were in the East Division pre-1994, but the Braves were in the West.
First Place. Don't make me say it again.
Maybe The Wild-Card System Doesn't Make Everyone Stupid, But The Two-Point Conversion Sure Does: The situation: Miami trails Florida State 33-25 in the first few minutes of the fourth quarter. Brock Berlin throws a touchdown pass to Ryan Moore. Now the score is 33-31. Miami then goes for the two-point conversion, and gets it, tying the game at 33.
Uhhh....wait a minute....
Actually, I've just been told the Hurricanes went for the extra point kick.
Hang on, let me check the scoring summary again...let's see if we have this right....
Yep. Miami went for one point, making it 33-32.
Huh. That's interesting.
No, it's not! It's not interesting! It's friggin' stupid! Why the hell do you go for one in the fourth quarter when you are down by two? Do they teach Math 101 at Miami, jackasses?
Not only that, why did you go for two in the third quarter when you should have gone for one? If you go for two when you trail by 17 and fail, that means you are now three scores behind, instead of being two scores behind at 16 points back.
One thing's for sure: Larry Coker, you are an idiot. There are no two ways about that. Somebody take that useless little headset he's wearing and burn it.
Stupid NFL Rules: What's with this "he would have come down in bounds if he hadn't been nudged by the defender" crap? Last night's Titans-Raiders game provided an excellent example of the NFL's penchant for enacting ridiculous rules. Derrick Mason was still going upwards when he crossed the back line of the end zone. There was no way he would have come down in bounds if there had been no contact. Besides, shouldn't the defender be allowed to nudge you out of bounds? Shouldn't that be part of the job?
49ers Beat Chicago 49-7: I have no idea what to say about this game, because the stupid local Fox affiliate here in Portland put on the Aints-Seabiscuits game. This Seattle-ite invasion of Portland is insane.
