Philadelphia Eagles Prove Money Doesn't Buy NFL Love

The Philadelphia Eagles face the Washington Redskins this Sunday in a game that can only be described as an encounter where their 2011 season is on the line. If this team has any Super Bowl aspirations, a fifth defeat could cripple their dreams.

Philadelphia is fighting history this weekend as well. If they finish the weekend at 1-5, the team must realize only the 1970 Cincinnati Bengals reached the playoffs after starting a season as poorly.

That Bengals team started the season 1-6 before rattling off seven straight wins behind Pro Bowl players like Lemar Parrish and Bob Trumpy. They would lose the first playoff appearance in franchise history against the eventual champion Baltimore Colts.

The offense has yet to really click for the Eagles yet this season. While ranking third best in the NFL in total yards gained, they have been struggling to consistently score touchdowns and rank 11th in total points scored. The offensive line, an issue that mostly has haunted head coach Andy Reid since he took the job in 1999.

It has to burn Reid's heart at this issue. He has won 60 percent of the 197 regular season games with Philadelphia, which makes him the winningest head coach in franchise history, but blocking is an area he is supposed to be an expert in.

Reid played offensive tackle in college, then got into coaching immediately upon graduating after his 1981 senior season. He coached the offensive line until the end of the 1996 season. His Eagles teams have produced just five Pro Bowl blockers since he took the helm, with only one that Reid drafted and developed, not something the head coach probably foresaw.

Philadelphia looked smart last year by trading quarterback Donovan McNabb and going with Michael Vick in his place. Vick, though known for a mobility that made him the NFL's top rushing yards leader by a quarterback in league history last week, has taken a tremendous pounding in 2011 because of Philadelphia's offensive line woes.

Vick has battled injuries and missed time this year, something the Eagles thought they had a contingency plan for by signing free agent Vince Young. Young has been to the Pro Bowl quarterback twice since being drafted in 2006, but he was not healthy enough to play when Vick went down.

Blocking isn't the only reason Vick has suffered. Though he is still learning how to be a pocket-passer, Vick has a propensity to hang onto the ball too long and take many unnecessary sacks.

The Eagles rushing attack is led by an excellent 5.8 yards per carry average from halfback LeSean McCoy, yet the Eagles still are ineffective in short yardage situations where a powerful running game between the tackles is needed. None of Reid's teams have ever excelled in this critical area.

If the offensive trenches weren't enough of an issue for Reid, his defensive lines haven't been much better in his Eagles career. Philadelphia has had a habit of getting tiny pass rushers who were weak against the run, often contributing to the reason Reid has yet to win a Super Bowl despite 119 regular season victories and nine playoff appearances in his previous 12 years.

Jeff Lurie has been a great owner since buying the Eagles in 1994. He is known for his loyalty as much as the generosity he has displayed to charitable causes. Reid's coaching staffs have shown a solid continuity for the most part, which can be seen with defensive coordinator Juan Castillo.

Castillo has been with the Eagles since 1995, holding jobs in many areas. After coaching the offensive line since 1998, he moved over to defense this year. Critics are not only pointing to Philadelphia's poor run defense, others are looking at a secondary that has yet to meet expectations.

After spending a ton of money to sign free agent cornerback Nnamde Asomugha, as well as trading for Pro Bowl cornerback Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie, Lurie bit the financial bullet by retaining the services of Pro Bowl cornerback Asante Samuel. Not only has the secondary given up way too many touchdowns on so few passing attempts, ranking 30th in that category, the group is not creating turnovers.

The Eagles tried to address the long-standing issue in their trenches by signing two high profile free agents in Jason Babin and Cullen Jenkins. While the duo has already racked up a combined 12 of the teams 16 total sacks, they are also a reason the team ranks 30th in rushing yards allowed and last in rushing yards per attempt up the middle of the defense.

The team took a gamble this year by going with a bunch of underwhelming or unproven linebackers this season, and are losing big so far. Not only has the group mostly stunk in run support, they have been even worse in pass defense.

The fact the Eagles safeties haven't played great hasn't helped either. Kurt Coleman has struggled at free safety, which hurts more due to the fact Nate Allen has yet to play as well as he did in his 2010 rookie year.

Despite Lurie shilling out millions to Vick, Young, Asomugha, Babin, Bryant, Steve Smith, Ronnie Brown, and others, the results have yet to be met by a group trying to get acclimated with each other on the fly in a season truncated because of a players strike. Yet history shows pouring money into players does not equate to championships.

Whether it is the 2010 Miami Heat, the Ted Stepien Era with the Cleveland Cavaliers, or even the 2011 Boston Red Sox, the examples are plentiful. Sometimes the angle of spending a lot of money works, as George Steinbrenner showed by winning seven titles in his 37 years of owning the New York Yankees.

The season is not yet lost for the Eagles, especially if they defeat a division rival that Reid has triumphed over 15 times in 24 attempts. The Redskins, who are coming off their bye week, need this game to stay on top of the NFC East while trying to increase their lead with their second division win in as many attempts.

Washington will probably attempt to run the ball down the Eagles throats with their trio of excellent running backs. If they succeed, Philadelphia could see their 2011 season begin to end as the game clock expires.

The City of Brotherly Love is starving for a football title in the NFL, having not seen their team win a championship since 1960. They are known as passionate fans, so a let down by their beloved Eagles may lead to a large insurgence of fans calling for the firing of Reid.

With their season on line, let alone the Eagles careers of guys like Reid and Castillo, the team has their backs against the proverbial wall and must begin to come out swing like Philly legend Rocky Balboa. Hopefully their thrust will not be fictional like Rocky was.



Yooooooooooo! For doze of yous dat forgots about me, I iz 7thStoneFromTheSun, da distant cuzin of 3rdStoneFromTheSun Yo, I did suck las weak in my procrastinashuns. I went 7-6, and I now iz 46-31 overall.

Lets get too it!




Saint Louis Rams @ Green Bay Packers

OK, I know a lots of yous mugs tought da Rams mite go two da playoffs dis yeer. But dey will now bee 0-5, sumfin not many saw cummin.

Packers 37 Rams 21






Jacksonville Jaguars @ Pittsburgh Steelers

Da Jags never shuld have gone da cheep route and dumped quarterback David Garrard, cuz it iz cleer Blaine Gabbert aint reddy. Da Steelers will expose dat truth even more.

Steelers 23 Jaguars 7







Philadelphia Eagles @ Washington Redskins

As 3rd says, dem Igglez have spent like a billion dollars and iz 1-4. I'm picking da Skins running game hear, but dont bee shocked if suckass Rex Grossman trows da game away two Philly.

Redskins 27 Eagles 24







San Francisco 49ers @ Detroit Lions
Game of the Week

Yo, dis aint 1950 so dont rub yer eyes in disbelief. Dis iz da game of da weak! Both teems got good defenses and quarterbacks picked furst in dere drafts. I tink it mite cum down too who runs da ball best, if dat iz a hint.

But Yo! Who hear saw dese teems a combined 9-1 cummin into dis game?

Lions 23 49ers 21






Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

I'm not in love wit Matt Ryan or da Falcons pass defense so far dis yeer, but they can win if dey run da damn ball. Cuz Carolina sure as fuck don't.

Falcons 30 Panthers 28







Indianapolis Colts @ Cincinnati Bengals

Da Colts blow chunks yo. Dey couldnt even beet da shitty Chiefs. Put dem down at 0-7.

Bengals 34 Colts 17







Buffalo Bills @ New York Giants

Eli Manning cemented his spot as one da most overrated players ever las week. Da Bills are a helluva lot better den da Seahawks, and dey will go downstate and leave 5-1.

Bills 34 Giants 24






Houston Texans @ Baltimore Ravens

Derrick Mason just joined da Texans, who iz strugglin all of da sudden, and iz facing a teem he spent six seasuns wif. Da Ravens will enjoy da fact star linebacker Mario Williams wont play for Houston again dis yeer.

Ravens 27 Texans 20






Cleveland Browns @ Oakland Raiders

Just keep winning baby! R.I.P. Al Davis

Raiders 31 Browns 23






Dallas Cowboys @ New England Patriots

Tony Romo mite trow four 400 yards against dis crappy Pats secondary, but his teem has no answers for Tom Brady.

Patriots 37 Cowboys 28







New Orleans Saints @ Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Just when it looked like da Bucs was turning da corner, they laid a egg of shit las week. Dis alloud da Saints two sit on top of da NFC South. New Orleans iz ranked 28th in yards given up per rushing attempt, but rank fourth best in rushing attempts against dem cuz teems are trowing so much trying to play catch up.

Saints quarterback Drew Brees should enjoy facin a dissappointin Buccaneers defense, whose seasun mite be on da line hear.

Saints 34 Buccaneers 23







Minnesota Vikings @ Chicago Bears

Get out da No Doz Sunday nite. Dat iz if you dont like smash mouth football in da Black and Blue division. Da Bears knead dis cuz da Packers and Lions are starting to run away in da race for da NFC North title.

Bears 24 Vikings 17







Miami Dolphins @ New York Jets

Dis piece of crap MNF game iz a perfect reasun da New York City media kneads to shut da fuck up about dere overrated talent and why we knead to start ignoring dese boobs. Capeesh?

Da Jets suck! Mark Sanchez sucks dirty donkey balls and dat Jets defense looks old. Rex Ryan has been gettin his fat mouth closed a lot dis yeer so far. I dunno if he iz puttin his foot in his mouth or his wife's, but he should STFU until he has a reesun to talk.

Da Dolphins basically got Matt Moore and Sage Rosenfels as dere quarterbacks, which aint awesum. Both is sound reserves at best, but we will sea. I tink Miami better run rookie halfback Daniel Thomas 25 times against dat suspect Jets defense.

But da Jets will put 8 in a box cuz dey dont respect da Dolphins quarterbacks, which iz da rite move.

Jets 23 Dolphins 14






Power Rankings

1. Green Bay Packers
2. Detroit Lions
3. Baltimore Ravens
4. Buffalo Bills
5. San Francisco 49ers
6. New Orleans Saints
7. San Diego Chargers
8. New England Patriots
9. Pittsburgh Steelers
10. Washington Redskins
11. Tennessee Titans
12. Atlanta Falcons
13. Oakland Raiders
14. Houston Texans
15. Tampa Bay Buccaneers
16. Chicago Bears
17. New York Giants
18. New York Jets
19. Dallas Cowboys
20. Philadelphia Eagles
21. Cincinnati Bengals
22. Seattle Seahawks
23. Minnesota Vikings
24. Arizona Cardinals
25. Miami Dolphins
26. Carolina Panthers
27. Jacksonville Jaguars
28. Cleveland Browns
29. Saint Louis Rams
30. Denver Broncos
31. Kanas City Chiefs
32. Indianapolis Colts



OK, I iz outta dis peace! I iz gunna lay down wif dis hunny I met at da bar and have her feed me grapes as I watch da games.

As dey say in Ol' Messico = A.M.F.

Past News, Present Stain, Future Shame

Like a birth certificate's legitimacy being ridiculed by a kid born with the umbilical chord wrapped around its neck, it is time for POINTLESS PONDERING. That dried up dingleberry residing in the stretch marks of journalism's taint.


Though there is some dysphoria after Brett Favre retired again, joviality reigns supreme.

Never again will the Hyckocrite be written in this blog. Let us go over a few myths with the fine comb of reality in honor of his departure.

There are people who say Favre is the greatest quarterback in football history. These are folks who haven't watched much football, or being paid to promote their media darling. I can think of at least 30 other quarterbacks that I feel are better players.

If you examine his character, it reeks of a self serving ego who put himself first at all turns. This was first seen in his rookie season, where Favre clashed with the Atlanta Falcons coaches and spent most of his time partying.

Other lowlights included his throwing a teammate under the bus for holding out for a pay raise. Favre, of course, had nothing to worry about. He had just signed a lifetime contract a few years earlier, and became the first NFL player to get 100 million dollars. The multiple retirements also showed his true persona.

If you want to talk about on the field, you first must understand how much easier it is to play his position compared to the years before him. He never had to call his own plays in an era where blockers could hold and receivers could only be chucked in the first five yards.

In these times where the quarterback could practically wear a dress as defenders feared the leagues wrath for tackling them too hard, Favre was considered an iron man.

He played 273 games in his 18 seasons, and has the NFL record for the most turnovers in league history with 427. This includes league records of 310 interceptions thrown and 117 fumbles lost. That is an average of 1.56 turnovers in every game he played.

Brett Favre was a player who you knew what you got with him. A egomaniac who loved the thrill of taking risks, even if he cost the team a victory. He infuriated and clashed with his teammates and coaches. He played to the media, who gave him an image that has endeared him to the millions of people who had forgotten or never paid attention to his antics.

Favre is a first ballot Hall Of Fame player who won a championship in a record setting career. He won't be soon lost from memory, but he is absolutely not even close to being one of the greatest ever at his position.

His ego has many saying good riddance to him now, while his fans will probably never let go of his image nor the hope of his return.






Is anyone really that shocked about the Redsox Roids scandal that Major League Baseball is currently trying to suffocate?

If you are, you really haven't paid any attention to the game the past twenty years.

The bogus Mitchell Report, in case you weren't aware, was written by part BoSox owner George Mitchell. Notice only one scrub middle reliever from his team made that list then?

If you think Roger Clemens didn't start using junk until after he left Beantown, I would like to sell you the Longfellow Bridge for a nice price.

Now we hear David Ortiz and Manny Ramirez are on it. My response is,"DUH!". Ortiz was a scrub on the bench in Minnesota before he hit Boston. ManRam's erratic behavior screams of a steroid user called "Roid Rage". Who else in their right mind would go urinate in the left field wall during a game other than a junkie?

Then there is the story where former player Jerry Remy's kid was recently fired for being on the stuff. Of course they don't know of any players who are on the stuff. Sounds like the ol' good soldier being a scapegoat. Taking one for the team, for his dad, and the faux legacy of the organization.

Now, I certainly am not saying just Boston was shooting up. It seems quite clear everyone was, and the list of non-users is going to be much shorter than the users.

Baseball was coming off a strike in 1994, and attendance was suffering in 1995. Owners had to do something, they thought, and this included George W. Bush. Bush owned the Texas Rangers at the time, and would become the President of the United States of America just five years later.

Baseball had already lowered the pitching mound and lowered and brought the outfield walls in closer to home plate. In order to bring in the fair weathered fan to fill seats, they decided to try other options to increase offense.

The first step was to wind the balls tighter, which is called "juicing" them. It makes the ball travel further, and this theory was proved by testing. Seemingly no one cared, because the media and MLB soon stifled this story.

Another way was to water down the talent pool through expansion. The Milwaukee Brewers moved to the National League in 1998. The Arizona Diamondbacks and Tampa Bay Devil Rays joined the league also that year in what is called "a magical season" by some. These teams, along with the defending champion Florida Marlins and Colorado Rockies franchise entering just their fifth years of existence, set the stage for a big public relations push.

Watering down the talent, shrinking the stadiums, and juicing the balls wasn't enough. For several years, many players already had begun to take steroids. The MLB owners chose to look the other way, especially in a lucrative 1998 season. Two of the poster children for steroids, Mark McGwire and Sammy Sosa, began a binge on both drugs and home runs. The gloss of the home run shined over the steroids then, because the game and media were getting fat on these times.

Times were good to baseball. So good even guys with salami bats were going on home run tears in the 90's. In 1996, Kevin Elster hit 24 homers. He had 88 total in his 13 year career. Brady Anderson had ten career home runs in four years before 1992. He hit 50 in 1996 alone. Steroids were as common as a fastball down the heart of the plate from then on.

Now there seems some phony repent from the game. Long after they stole money from the fans. A repent that has been so untrue, we are seeing names casually trickle and fade quickly now. Players the game pushes into their spotlight like Ortiz, Ramirez, Alex Rodriguez, and others.

Can the players be blamed alone? The media slants it that way.

Imagine a teenager next door who is doing drugs and robbing your house daily. Does his parents deserve some of the blame? What if the parents supplied the drugs and served as a lookout as the kid did his dirt?

It is a sad time for the game, yet people seem to still attend as much as ever. Still, you cannot help but wonder if the Red Sox are a team that has not legitimately won a World Series since 1918.

Perhaps the "Curse of The Bambino" still exists?





Roger Goodell seemingly has the NFL off course, but there still may be a method to the madness by the owners puppet.

With the Pro Bowl being moved to the week before the Super Bowl, and is a moronic idea! All this proves is that Goodell is bad as hell for the NFL.

Let us imagine your favorite player on your favorite team having a spectacular year and leading the way to a Super Bowl appearance.

Only two scenarios can be played out. Obviously this first one is that the player skips the Pro Bowl entirely, which will be the most prevalent move by any Pro Bowlers on teams that make it to the Super Bowl.

The second option is what I call the "Robert Edwards" result. Edwards was a rookie who blew out his knee in a NFL event during the 1998 Pro Bowl week. He almost had to have his leg amputated, and did not return to the NFL again until 2002. No team in the Super Bowl is willing to risk this happening.

This move by Goodell takes away from the Pro Bowls legitimacy, because lesser players will have to fill in and make it more of an ALMOST Pro Bowl instead.

Why even bother playing this kind of game at all? The game already has been suffering from lackluster play by divas, now less talented and worthy ones will cause a deeper coma for viewers.

The last part is how the NFL is moving the game from Hawaii to Miami.

Cheap greed is the first thought that comes to my head. Miami is a nice city, but it ain't Hawaii. Players loved the trip to Honolulu, and brought family along. You really see this happening in Miami?

Then there is the sad reality the long shot player may be phased out of Goodell's NFL. Many players in the Hall Of Fame were not drafted early or at all.

With the NFL practically phasing out the preseason, you probably will see less of these types of long shots. The whole purpose for training camp and exhibition games is to get the best players possible on your roster. Now it can't happen.

Pretend the Jets try out an undrafted quarterback who easily outplays their first draft pick Mark Sanchez.There is just one roster spot open. With all the money invested into Sanchez, there is no way the undrafted kid beats him for the job nor has enough time to.

The UFL will be starting soon, and it could have the success of the last incarnation of the AFL if managed right. Some ex-NFL players, now coaching in the UFL, think the NFL wants the UFL to succeed. Some theories range from the UFL serving as a minor leagues for all the good players who fail an NFL job. Other think it could help the game eventually branch out to new cities then NFL would envelop the upstart league, much like they did with the AFL.

If this is true, and the NFL is using the UFL to grow, then it could be a win-win. There are many good players unable to make rosters each year. Some need time to develop and learn the game more.

Still, it is a bit sad and melancholy to think of all the possible future legends forced to go this route rather than doing it the way it has been done since the birth of the NFL.





Every few years, we get sports pages telling us about bike riding. Lance Armstrong brought it mainstream with his cancer battle, and his steroids cloud.

ESPN pushes the X Games yearly, and bikes are a big part of it.

The Olympics has bike riding events, though they seemingly get little air time.

One can appreciate the ability of the rider, but it seems amazing how much of a spectator sport it has become.

Not so much in the X Games, because they mix it up with other events like skating and skiing. The real surprise is how many people line up throughout the countryside of France. They line up deep and far to catch glimpses of the riders.

Though there is some history to this tour, as well as the bicycle itself, but is this a sport a great portion of Americans pine away for its arrival on television? Do even the highlights pump you up?

Why does it get so much publicity, yet women's sports get hardly any at all? Are you even aware the WNBA has played twenty games already?




Well, it's that time to make like a baby and head out. As they like to say in Ol' Mexico : AMF.

Wanna See Something Ugly?

Baseball begins this weekend, and I am in a fantasy league with the legendary Bartolis.

Played fantasy baseball for the first time last year, and think I finished last..or pretty darn near it.

I expect to keep that going this year.

MY fantasy team :


SP: Brandon Webb - Dude has been solid...one of my top players probably.
SP: Clayton Kershaw - Kid is a stud. Future ace...hoping he's ready now.
SP: Hiroki Kuroda - I have no idea what to expect from him.
SP: Jordan Zimmermann - A front runner for N.L. R.O.Y.

P: Andy Pettitte - I hope he has something left.
P: Scott Olsen - Dude eats up innings.

RP: B.J. Ryan - They say he has arm woes right now. Uh oh.
RP: George Sherrill - has had a bad spring, and might lose his closer job.




C: Jesus Flores - A future All Star.
1B: Casey Kotchman - If he stays healthy, he might be OK.
2B: Chase Utley - A stud. Hope he keeps it going.
SS: Mike Young - Carries a good stick in a launching pad ballpark.
3B: Ryan Zimmerman - I'm sure he will explode this year. Contract year.
OF: Ichiro Suzuki - I don't know his fantasy worth, but I like him.
OF: Jay Bruce - He will be a star. Just hope it's now.
OF: David Murphy - Another Ranger in that tiny ballpark.
OF: Adam Jones - He is ready to bust out.

Utility: Dave Ortiz - Hope Big Popi can get some big pops.
Utility: Carlos Guillen - Can hit in his sleep.


BENCH:

SS: Christian Guzman - Hoping he will play like last year.
OF: Fred Lewis - A future Giants leader.
OF: Garrett Anderson - Took the old pro for his stick.
2B: Ronnie Belliard - Dude can hit, when healthy.
1B: Kyle Blanks - Stashing him just in case he plays. Has huge power.








OK, Let me get my baseball predictions for 2009 out of the way:


AL EAST

1. Red Sox - I think Bay will fill the Manny void really well, the only thing I wonder if the bullpen up until Papelbon. But it's in better shape than most teams...so why nitpick?

2. Rays - I LIKE this squad. I think they have what it takes to get the wild card too. I see a 3-way battle this year...and I think the Rays will get it done to move on. They also have that great farm system.

3. Yankees - Ted Stepien (former Cav's owner) showed that money can't buy you love. Burnett pitching a whole season is questionable, in my eyes. Word is that Rivera has lost a yard off his heat too. Jeter is on his last legs, and is a liability in the field. Heck, there's a lot of oldsters in the field with fat wallets. I just don't see it...but I could be wrong.

4. Blue Jays - Cito doesn't have the same roster he had his first time around, but it's not bad. I think the Jays will push for a spot in the top three for quite a few months this year. They even have the skill set to stay there.

5. Orioles - Until Peter Angelos dies or sells, this is their spot. Good news is there are young players again, and the farm is trying to build. I'm not in love with the rotation, but the pen is maybe the best in the division. Adam Jones is primed to explode this year, making the Bedard trade look even better.




AL CENTRAL

1. Twins - I like the kids here. I can see them getting over the hump this year, making the future look even more promising.

2. White Sox - I think Ozzie will make sure these guys are competitive.

3. Indians - They have the talent to win it all, especially if Westbrook stays healthy.

4. Tigers - I don't like their pitching enough, and they seem like a bunch of under achievers as a whole to me. I could be wrong easily though.

5. Royals - They are building something in KC, and have enough talent to do well. IF that pitching staff can stay healthy and gel, they can make a push.




AL WEST

1. Angels - They are the best in this division by far, even minus K-Rod.

2. A's - I might be crazy here, but I'm liking the power on this squad.

3. Rangers - If they ever pitch, they will win the division with all their great sticks. Kinsler might be the best second baseman in baseball.

4. Mariners - Rebuilding takes time.




NL EAST


1. Mets - Just a feeling.

2. Phillies - Will win the wild card, and could win it all again.

3. Nationals - I am pulling a homer move here. I think Zimmerman and Zimmermann will be huge this year. Flores is a budding All Star, and the pitching staff is in better shape than last year. IF Dukes, Kearns, Milledge, and Willingham can hit, then Dunn can play more 1B. Unless Nick Johnson decides to play 162 games. IF Johnson lasts, he hits .280+...then the OF is strong. The only question will be second base. This team will score more runs, and might actually pitch too.

4. Braves - Rebuilding on the fly is hard to do.

5. Marlins - Cheap owners and no fans. It might get ugly down there.




NL CENTRAL

1. Cubs - I think the team will get that love they have been seeking. Pinella is the right man to give it.

2. Cardinals - Pujols alone gives you a chance to win.

3. Reds - LIKING this squad. PITCHING plus. Then there's the youngsters. I think they make the run.

4. Astros - I can't figure these guys out yet, so guessing here.

5. Brewers - I think they are either going to blow up...or hold it together. Not sure which one yet.

6. Pirates - I will not say a word.




NL WEST

1. Dodgers - They should win it if they pitch well.

2. Rockies - I can see an improvement this year.

3. Diamondbacks - The top three teams in this division are all capable of winning it.

4. Giants - They are improving yearly.

5. Padres - The rebuilding will happen after the divorce settlement, I guess.




AL Pennant

Boston



NL Pennant

Cubs



World Series

Too bad the Boston has won something already, so we can't call it the "Sad Sap Series". But, now that the BoSox have gotten two rings....I think they will get a third in a helluva 7 games series.





But then again...I am a last place fantasy baseball participant...so what do I know?

Hey Detroit? Look At Boston!

Most fans of sports are aware of the "Curse Of Babe Ruth", which loomed over the Boston Red Sox franchise for decades. Some lived their entire lives believing in its existence. Those who don't believe in curses rationalize the reasons for the lack of championships by the Red Sox were either due to teams unlucky, not good enough, or a combination of both. Regardless to whether curses are real or not, the Red Sox have certainly shoved that myth into the derriere of oblivion.

Where am I going with this? Well, it was 50 years ago when the Detroit Lions Hall Of Fame Quarterback Bobby Layne was traded to the Pittsburgh Steelers. The story goes that, as Layne was ready to go to Pittsburgh, he told a group of people that the Lions would not win another championship for 50 years. What has followed in the Lions franchise has circumstances that could have Lions fans believing in the curse laid down by Layne. From the quarterback carousal that has followed since Layne's departure, to the numerous #1 draft picks that failed, to the several head coaches that have come and gone without much impact, the Lions have floundered for the better part of the 50 years that have followed. The past decade, the Lions have the worst record in the NFL, and many Detroit fans lay this blame on the Lions ownership. But, it is really their incompetence, or "Bobby Layne's Curse" in effect?


Though "Ruth's Curse" never had a timeline, nor did the Babe ever utter that he placed a curse on the Red Sox, there can be similarities for Lions fans to draw from for the sake of hope. It certainly would be better to latch onto the Red Sox curse than the Chicago Cubs curse. At least until the Cubs win another championship. Neither franchise has suffered as much as the Lions, who have won just one playoff game since Layne's departure.


The time is ticking on this curse. If it is true, this indicates the Lions are bound for glory in 2009. I know this whole idea seems far fetched, but so does the thought that curses are real. Well, at least to some. So cheer up Lions fans. Get your 2009 calender ready. Maybe even buy your Super Bowl tickets early. If this curse is real, it expires at the end of this season. Then, you can feel that joy Red Sox fans have been feeling the past few years. A joy so grand, that even 100 year old BoSox fans walk around without the need for Viagra. Detroit Lions fans deserve that joy as well.