Washington Nationals Nab Respect by Outworking Others

Having completed an old fashioned double-header over the weekend, the Washington Nationals get set to complete three games in a 24-hour span.

Sitting at 9-8 right now, a record good enough to sit on top of the N.L. Central, few notice because the Philadelphia Phillies and Atlanta Braves dominate the N.L. East ink.

Yet the Nationals are playing a scrappy kind of baseball that is old school, where they aggressively outwork their opponents to scrape out wins.

Want to see a double steal? Going first to third? Hit and run play? Having guys you'd never expect much of on the basepaths stealing bags? The Nationals are doing that.

They are also the only team in the National League to have all of their starting pitchers go at least five innings every game thus far. Then a bullpen led by Tyler Clippard and Drew Storen comes on and is lights out.

They have been doing this without the best third baseman in baseball, their leader Ryan Zimmerman. He has been on injured reserve, but is expected to resume playing somewhere in the next 10 days.

The pitching, a nice surprise so far, has not had the services of staff ace Stephen Strasburg all year and it is likely they will not until 2012 because he is recovering from Tommy John surgery. Jordan Zimmermann, coming off his own Tommy John procedure, is showing great promise.

The youngsters are the big reason for the Nationals good start. Rookie catcher Wilson Ramos has quietly been pushing future Hall of Famer Ivan Rodriguez to the bench by batting .364 and showing off an excellent throwing arm.

But the big boost has come from rookie second baseman Danny Espinosa. Despite batting leadoff lately, he leads the team with 15 RBI's and has shown himself to have a very solid glove. Espinosa and second-year shortstop Ian Desmond are expected to lock up the middle of the Nationals defense for at least the next decade.

Espinosa leads all rookies in RBI's and is tied for the second most in the National League. He is also tied for the most triples in the National League. This all has been done despite the fact many of his teammates bats have not warmed up yet.

With two leading candidates for Rookie of the Year, solid starting pitching, and excellent work from the end of the bullpen, the Nationals are putting baseball on notice that they will not be an easy win this year.

With phenoms like Bryce Harper developing in the minors, the future looks real bright for the Nats. Zimmerman is the face of the franchise at just 26-years old, while flashing the best leather in the hot corner since the days of Brooks Robinson.

Five games in three days was not something Washington expected, but they have shown people that to no longer expect a doormat in the Nations Capitol anymore. They will take chances, but the Nationals will not stop working to get on top of their division after many years spent on the bottom.

NFL 2010 Season : Looking Ahead By Remembering The Past

As a new year squirts out Father Time's loins, an old relic gets dug up out of desperation. The 2010 regular season of the NFL concludes on Sunday, a perfect time to lament and cherish it with some POINTLESS PONDERING that lovingly holds and nurtures life the same way Lorena Bobbitt did with her husbands manhood.

Last week we heard Terrell Owens, a resident NFL psycho, do his annual Adolph Hitler impression where he blamed everyone but himself for the woes of the Cincinnati Bengals. He had been to busy mentoring Chad Ocho Cinco on a weekly television show that probably carries an audience of less than 100.

Owens decided to tell everyone he gave up because everyone around him is inferior. His peon came out this week saying the same thing. While the Bengals might be the biggest disappointment of the 2010 season, winning four games a year after winning the division, it really is amazing no one saw this coming if they claim they had not.

Their season was doomed the day they signed Owens to a contract. Cincinnati already had been dealing with the boorish stupidity of Ocho Cinco, a drama queen who once punched a coach in the face during halftime of a game, but signing Owens just said they preferred to lose by singing this loser. T.O. is easily the biggest idiot the NFL has seen the last decade.

Marvin Lewis should lose his job on this decision alone, gambling two clubhouse cancers were going to play well as a duo instead of tap dancing on a bunch of lies and monikers as they led the team to losses. Not only did this decision kill that special bond the locker room shared last season, but it destroyed the offense on the field too.

Carson Palmer is the quarterback who seems to have lost 65% of his arm strength over an arm injury a few years ago. He also has a roller coaster relationship with Ocho Cinco, and he certainly saw Owens call quarterbacks losers, homosexuals, and other pearls from his lunatic wisdom. He wrongly decided to look for harmony by force feeding the two big mouthed geezers at the expense of the offense's flow.

While the demonic duo did grab 139 passes and 13 scores, neither averaged more than 13 yards per catch. The inability to stretch the defense was probably more frustrating to the aging egomaniacs than the team losing weekly. The best passing weapons the team had, two rookies, took a back seat all year and halfback Cedric Benson was not as effective as last year due to less touches per game in order to appease a pair of over the hill psychopaths.

While they probably keep Ocho Cinco, cutting Owens is much needed. Cincinnati scored a season high 34 points last week mostly because the old receivers sat on the bench, proving they are probably a better team without either player.


Was anyone really shocked that Roger Goodell yet again defiled the NFL last week? Who didn't see it coming? He tried to claim there was no proof that Brett Favre harassed anyone, and tried to compare it to sexual harassment at the workplace. Of course he had this view, because Goodell grew up in an ivory tower his Senator dad provided and never left. He's never had to work a day in his life, and further alienates the working man by showing how soft in the head he is too.

If anyone at any other work place had texted a female coworker pictures of him exposing himself and masturbating in between of demands for sex "because I'm Brett Favre dammit", they would have been immediately suspended or fired. Even if a few weeks away from collecting a gold watch at a retirement home like Favre is.

Not in Roger Goodell's NFL, a league now committed to castrating defenses, performing fellatio on quarterbacks, pretending to care about player safety to get a players agreement contract signed, and spitting on the legacy of a league that has meant so much to millions of people. Knowing Favre was finally retiring after this season, Goodell purposely dragged his heels under the guise of mulling over the obvious facts.

The reality is that Favre was given a pass because of fear from Goodell for a guy who has made the NFL lots of money and has some media outlets in his pocket. If a sweaty lineman had done any of the things Favre did, he would have met immediate suspension. Knowing the drama queen Goodell is, it most likely would have been a lifetime ban so the commissioner could flex his fake, flabby muscles while proclaiming he was keeping the NFL free of scum bags.

Yet he left his favorite scumbag alone. Who knows what other women he has harassed since, or still may be? Women in the age area of his daughters. Who really knows how vile and despicable Favre is because Goodell and Favre's media buddies will never report it.

Yes, it is good that Brett Favre is finally gone. As predicted, he ended his career like Y.A. Tittle and other Hall of Fame quarterbacks on the field by playing one too many seasons. Yet he found a new niche for himself along the way. Long known as a selfish man, he went overboard this year and even had his own agent tired of the act. He might go into Canton with little said about how poorly his career ended both on and off the field, but many hope his victim steals some of that thunder by taking Favre to civil court.

Long the headline grabber for all of the wrong reasons, it would be fitting karma to see him experience some negativity at the apex of his career.



Most NFL fans like to predict how a season will go before it starts, and yours truly is not any different. I did quite poorly, but decided to pay the piper by reviewing things.


1. Dallas Cowboys

Dallas decided to start their season ignoring the run play on offense, and it bit them hard. The defense looked old and overmatched often too. After firing head coach Wade Phillips as the scapegoat, offensive coordinator Jason Garrett finally decided to run the ball. Too late. Hopefully owner Jerry Jones gets a better coach than Garrett in 2011.

2. Philadelphia Eagles

Philly won the NFC East with some players they knew what to expect from and one that shocked them. Instead of Kevin Kolb leading the charge at quarterback, Michael Vick had the best year of his career and could very well win NFL Comeback Player of the Year as well.


3. New York Giants

The Giants are a strange bunch. After a poor start to their season, many were calling for the firing of head coach Tom Coughlin. This was retracted after the Jints went on a winning tear and led the division. They are playing poorly again now, so Coughlin has his back to the wall once more.

4. Washington Redskins

The team is a mess, as well as the oldest in the NFL. Mike Shanahan will need time to prove what is the method behind his madness. Washington appears to be many years away from being consistently competitive again.




NFC North

1. Green Bay Packers

Losing halfback Ryan Grant was a crushing blow, but the team lost loads of players and somehow stayed in the playoff hunt. Good defense can take a team a long way, and the Packers have one of the best in the league despite losing so many valuable players. Probably the best work defensive coordinator Dom Capers has done in his fine career.

2. Minnesota Vikings

Pat Williams came back to this? Too bad the fine defensive tackle retires on such a sour note as the Vikings are a loss away from last place. Let the rebuilding on this old team begin immediately.

3. Detroit Lions

I said the Lions would improve and win five games this year. Detroit goes for six on a very winnable game Sunday. It is obvious how good the kids have gotten, and no one should be shocked if they are in the playoff hunt in 2011.

4. Chicago Bears

I wasn't a fan of the Bears blockers, receivers, except Johnny Knox, and defensive backs. While blocking is still an issue, receivers like Devin Hester have improved. The defensive secondary has done a decent job, but that is mostly thanks to a ferocious pass rush.

Defensive ends Julius Peppers, who should get several votes for NFL Defensive Player of the Year, and Israel Idonije have nearly identical numbers in sacks and tackles. This pair of 6'7" monsters give Chicago a luxury few have.


NFC South

1. New Orleans Saints

Defending an NFL title is hard, but the Saints have done a great job so far. No one wants to face them in the playoffs.

2. Atlanta Falcons

Atlanta has been a nice story in 2010, holding the best record for several weeks. They are a smart bunch who hit you with a well balanced attack.

3. Carolina Panthers

Even worse than I thought, this team needs to draft great the next few years. Some think they want quarterback Andrew Luck, showing how much faith they have on the current group of signal callers that they employ.

4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers

Every season has a "Cinderella Team". Tampa Bay was just that for the NFC. Young quarterback Josh Freeman has Bucs fans excited about the future, and the kid does seem to have a knack on how to win already.


NFC West

1. San Francisco 49ers

Head Coach Mike Singletary was fired a few days ago because the Niners are in last place. He didn't draft quarterback Alex Smith, but that is a big part of the reason Singletary is gone.

2. Arizona Cardinals

I thought Derek Anderson would experience a rebirth with a fine group of Cardinals receivers, showing his 2007 Pro Bowl form. He was lousy, being benched by a pair of rookies throughout the year. The only question left for Arizona is if to blow up the roster and rebuild or try one more time to duplicate their 2009 magic.


3. Seattle Seahawks

Give Seattle credit, even if they play in the lousy NFL West. No one could have seen them get so close to making the playoffs. Pete Carroll deserves a few votes for Coach of the Year.


4. Saint Louis Rams

They might win the division with seven wins, but it still counts big for a franchise that won three total games the previous two seasons. The reason for the improvement has been defense.


AFC East

1. New England Patriots

Many saw this coming.


2. New York Jets
The Jets still are alive in their quest to support all that Super Bowl talk.

3. Miami Dolphins

Quarterback Chad Henne has a rough year, so some now wonder if he is the future. But they need a young running back now that Ricky Williams retires after Sunday.


4. Buffalo Bills

The team played well for a month, but they appear to be many years away from playing well for a longer period of time.



AFC North

1. Baltimore Ravens

The Ravens are tied for first place in spite of erratic play from quarterback Joe Flacco.


2. Cincinnati Bengals

The Bengals prefer to being the Bungles. What a disastrous season they had in 2010.

3. Pittsburgh Steelers

Overcoming a four game suspension of the starting quarterback to begin the year, Pittsburgh is in first place with a lot of help from an excellent defense.

4. Cleveland Browns

It appears Eric Mangini's final day as a head coach in the NFL is this Sunday.



AFC South

1. Indianapolis Colts

How Peyton Manning made this happen after a bunch of injuries was excellent. Maybe one of his finest accomplishments ever.


2. Houston Texans

A very disappointing Season that could cost head coach Gary Kubiak his job. Their best story was halfback Arian Foster.




3. Tennessee Titans

Halfback Chris Johnson did not duplicate last years performance, but Vince Young had a lot to do with that by quitting on the team again. Big changes are needed in Tennessee, but getting a franchise quarterback may prove difficult.



4. Jacksonville Jaguars

One the best stories in 2010 for the NFL, thanks to the MVP caliber play of halfback Maurice Jones-Drew. It probably saved the job of head coach Jack Del Rio for at least one more season.



AFC West

1. San Diego Chargers

A miserable head start to their season, combined with holdouts and having a horrible head coach, did the Bolts in early. They need to get a coach interested in getting his players be their best.



2. Oakland Raiders

Oakland improved on offense, but were held back by a bad head coach.


3. Denver Broncos

They had a really bad season. It led to the firing of the head coach. There were a few bright spots with the play of wide receiver Brandon Lloyd, a leading candidate for Comeback Player of the Year, and quarterback Kyle Orton.



4. Kansas City Chiefs

Good running back performance, as well as excellent blocking, led the Chiefs to a AFC West crown this season. Their quarterback, Matt Cassell, did not turn over the ball much, and the defense was led by a young and exciting secondary.

This team was not only the Cinderella of 2010, but one of the best stories all year too.





Super Bowl XLV
Baltimore @ Green Bay



Most Valuable Player : Tom Brady, New England Patriots
- Who else will win this? Maurice Jones-Drew is worthy and Michael Vick might get a few votes, but Brady should have this.






Offensive Player of the Year : Adrian Peterson, Minnesota
- Peterson surely had a year worthy of winning, but his team lost too much and AP still fumbles too often. He might get a few votes.






Defensive Player of the Year : Patrick Willis, San Francisco - With 128 tackles, six sacks, and two forced fumbles, Willis was great this year. Julius Peppers and Clay Matthews III should get more votes than him.





Offensive Rookie of the Year : Jermaine Gresham, Cincinnati
- Gresham caught over 50 balls and has a bright future. Quarterback Sam Bradford might get it if the Rams win their division. Redskins receiver Anthony Armstrong came out of nowhere to average almost 19 yards on 42 receptions, but is a dark horse at best.






Defensive Rookie of the Year : Ndamukong Suh, Detroit Lions
- The clear winner. Third on his team in tackles, his nine sacks leads all rookies. He is a huge reason the Lions are much improved.






Coach of the Year : Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers
- He will get a lot of votes for keeping his team in the playoff hunt despite massive amounts of injuries to his roster. He did a great job.





Week 17 Picks :


Miami Dolphins @ New England Patriots

New England wants to keep momentum while getting out healthy. Tom Brady might wrap up his MVP trophy here.

Patriots 31 Dolphins 20









Minnesota Vikings @ Detroit Lions

Detroit might win their sixth game Sunday, a feat not all expected because of recent struggles of the past. They will play hard, no matter what the outcome is.

Lions 24 Vikings 20









Cincinnati Bengals @ Baltimore Ravens

If the Ravens want to win their division and get a first-round bye in the playoffs, they must win this game first before hoping for help. Marvin Lewis might be coaching his last game with the Bengals.

Ravens 28 Bengals 20









Tampa Bay Buccaneers @ New Orleans Saints

The Bucs had a surprising season, and you just get the feeling they will give it all they got Sunday. The Saints need this if they are to have a shot at home-field advantage in the playoffs.

Saints 27 Buccaneers 20










Buffalo Bills @ New York Jets

Buffalo can't wait to go home and the Jets will play hard.

Jets 24 Bills 10









Pittsburgh Steelers @ Cleveland Browns

Mike Holmgren didn't hire Eric Mangini, but he will fire him after Sunday.

Steelers 27 Browns 17








Oakland Raiders @ Kansas City Chiefs

Kansas City wants to get out this game healthy. Tom Cable's career as a NFL head coach should end Sunday.

Raiders 16 Chiefs 13










Carolina Panthers @ Atlanta Falcons

Carolina goes into this knowing head coach John Fox is fired, but they axed their 2010 season long ago.

Falcons 34 Panthers 10








Chicago Bears @ Green Bay Packers
Game of the Week

Chicago already owns the NFC North crown this season, as well as having obtained a bye in the playoffs. Green Bay would need a lot of help to sneak into the playoffs if they lose, but go in with a win. This is the oldest rivalry in the NFL, and the Bears would love to out Green Bay just so they don't face them again until next year.

While Green Bay has no running game, they are dangerous with an excellent defense and a passing game that can be explosive. While Chicago has nothing to play for here, it is hard to see Lovie Smith having them lie down. The Bears head coach would love to keep their winning momentum going.

Packers 23 Bears 21







Arizona Cardinals @ San Francisco 49ers

The loser of this one owns sole possession of last place in the NFL West.

Cardinals 27 49ers 21








San Diego Chargers @ Denver Broncos

Hopefully the Chargers players lay down on this one since neither team is playing for anything. Denver fired their head coach, something San Diego should have done two years ago. The players could send a strong message upstairs by laying an egg here. Only Norv Turner would lose leading a team in the top-five on both offense and defense in the NFL. Plus, it adds to the Tim Tebow legacy that has grown so quickly the past few weeks.

Broncos 27 Chargers 24









Tennessee Titans @ Indianapolis Colts

Jim Caldwell deserves some Coach of the Year votes. His team is about to win their division despite not being very good. It helps, of course, to have Peyton Manning constantly bailing out a very leaky ship.

Colts 31 Titans 17









Dallas Cowboys @ Philadelphia Eagles

Kevin Kolb started 2010 as the Eagles starting quarterback, yet his finishing the year as one was not quite the journey he had in mind. He will show he is one the best backups in the league today, cementing the idea Philadelphia needs him on their roster next season.

Eagles 34 Cowboys 20










Jacksonville Jaguars @ Houston Texans

Jacksonville had a season that probably saved the career of head coach Jack Del Rio and their franchise by selling out all home games. They should finish 2010 strong.

Jaguars 30 Texans 24










New York Giants @ Washington Redskins

Washington might be trying to look at the positives of benching Donovan McNabb for Rex Grossman last week, yet it should be noted the Redskins played a team that has struggled on defense all year. The Giants, who really need this win, are a truer test of the abilities of Grossman.

Giants 37 Redskins 16









Saint Louis Rams @ Seattle Seahawks

Real simple : winner takes the NFC West crown. You know Seahawks fans will be pumped for their surprising team, so the young Rams defense needs to win this so halfback Steven Jackson can attack the third worst defense in the NFL with frequent touches.

Rams 23 Seahawks 20



Power Rankings

1. Patriots
2. Steelers
3. Falcons
4. Eagles
5. Ravens
6. Saints
7. Bears
8. Giants
9. Jets
10. Packers
11. Chiefs
12. Colts
13. Jaguars
14. Chargers
15. Buccaneers
16. Rams
17. Seahawks
18. Dolphins
19. Raiders
20. Redskins
21. Texans
22. Browns
23. Cowboys
24. Vikings
25. Titans
26. Lions
27. Bengals
28. Bills
29. Broncos
30. 49ers
31. Cardinals
32. Panthers

NFL Front Office Eunichs Look To End The Philadelphia Eagles 2010 Season

Since Roger Goodell was hired as commissioner of the National Football League in 2006, his reign has been one of blow hard ineptitude. Whether it is his disturbing fellatio on the quarterback position or his faux stance on player safety in order to get a contract signed, the Goodell Era has been an effeminate joke that cares more about money than the actual product on the field.

This type off weak-minded leadership was further seen when he postponed a football game between the Minnesota Vikings and Philadelphia Eagles based on a theory and a further display his NFL is without testosterone or a care about league legacy.

The NFL has called off their Sunday night showdown between the two teams because snow might fall on the City of Brotherly Love. This decision was made before snow had actually had much accumulation and the NFL made a decision based strictly on the prognosis of the man-made machine that called for blizzard-like conditions.

On this very date 62 years ago, a legend was further enhanced amongst all Philadelphia Eagles and NFL fans. Philadelphia was already well in the midst of an actual blizzard, not a theory as of today. The Eagles were set to face the Chicago Cardinals in the championship game in an era where men were treated like men.

Steve Van Buren, the Eagles star halfback who was in the fifth season of his Hall of Fame career, had to walk 12 blocks down Broad Street after having ridden three trolleys from his home to the Eagles stadium. He then set a then-NFL record by running for 196 yards and scored the only touchdown of the game to help Philadelphia celebrate their first championship.

Goodell's NFL has no heroes like Van Buren because the commissioner wants to be the star of the league. Instead of watching Eagles quarterback Michael Vick show the world on a nationally televised game why he is one of a few candidates for the 2010 NFL MVP award on Sunday night, Vick is now relegated to playing at 4 PM on a Tuesday afternoon.

Not only is the choice of time and day utterly moronic by Goodell, but it could also jeopardize the health of an Eagles team that is currently sitting on the top of the NFC East. They took the lead in their division after an exciting comeback against the New York Giants in a grueling game, and now they will be subjected to an extra short week before closing their 2010 season against the Dallas Cowboys.

Goodell dropped the ball yet again, a prevalent theme of his regime. The game should have been played in snow because the game is football. This isn't a Phillies game, it is an Eagles game. Football is supposed to be played in all elements, not treated like a baseball game that can only take place in acceptable weather.

Minnesota, who is playing for nothing but pride, is looking for this season to end so they can begin rebuilding an aging team. Playing in snow would also give them a head start in getting ready to play in their new stadium. The best Vikings teams ever rolled around in the Minnesota snow, and the franchise has done next to nothing since moving into a domed stadium.

Having these two teams play in the snow not only respects the history of the game of football, but it treats the players like men. Men like Van Buren and his predecessors. But is appears the Goodell NFL is one without respect, dignity, nor manhood. Much like the theories he has based his leadership on over facts, the NFL continues to lose their legacy by following a politician's son with no real understanding of the game he leads.

Major League Baseball 2010 Postseason Awards Predictions

American League MVP

Some people will want Texas Rangers outfielder Josh Hamilton, but he missed too many games for me.

Others may choose Miguel Cabrera of the Detroit Tigers, who was stellar all year and is also worthy.



My choice is Robinson Cano of the New York Yankees.

He has a solid glove and put up excellent numbers with the bat.

When fans rattle off Yankees, he might not even be amongst the first mentioned, but the Yankees would be nowhere this year without him.







National League MVP


Albert Pujols, of the Saint Louis Cardinals, might be the best player in baseball. He certainly made a strong case to win his fourth MVP Award in six years.

The Colorado Rockies have Carlos Gonzales and Troy Tulowitzki to boast with good reason.

Adrian Gonzales of the San Diego Padres also deserves mention.

The Cincinnati Reds were not picked by many to compete for a pennant, much less win their division.

Joey Votto was simply great this year, and consistently kept the Reds on top. He even teased the Triple Crown for awhile. He is my choice.









American League Cy Young


David Price, of the Tampa Bay Rays, deserves big mention.

John Lester, of the Boston Red Sox, deserves some as well.

I see this coming down between two guys.

"King" Felix Hernandez would not upset me if he won, despite a 13-12 record. The man was simply incredible this year.

However, I am picking C.C. Sabathia of the New York Yankees.

Did I flip a coin? Maybe.

I just see C.C. as a distant MVP contender and the glue of the Yankees rotation.











National League Cy Young


Adam Wainwright, of the Saint Louis Cardinals, is the only other guy I see getting quite a few first place votes.

Tim Hudson, of the Atlanta Braves, had a very good and underrated season that deserves mention.

Roy "Doc" Halladay, of the Philadelphia Phillies, should walk away with it.













American League Rookie Of The Year


Austin Jackson, of the Detroit Tigers, will get a lot of votes and is worthy.

Wade Davis, of the Tampa Bay Rays, will get some votes too.

Neftali Feliz, of the Texas Rangers, is my pick. His 39 saves and OPS are too hard to ignore.













National League Rookie Of The Year


Outfielder Jason Hayward, of the Atlanta Braves, will get a lot of votes in what should be a close race to the finish.

The Saint Louis Cardinals Jaime Garcia will also get votes in a fantastic N.L. rookie class.

Buster Posey, a catcher for the San Francisco Giants, is my pick. His offensive numbers are pretty much equal to Heyward's, but with a lot less at bats.








American League Manager Of The Year


Terry Francona, of the Boston Red Sox, got a very injured and old team a lot of wins somehow.

Buck Showalter, of the Baltimore Orioles, took a floundering team and got them to play 10 games above .500 after his hiring.

The Texas Rangers Ron Washington also deserves mention.

My pick is Ron Gardenhire of the Minnesota Twins. I'd love to see what this guy could do with an expensive clubhouse like the Yankees.









National League Manager Of The Year


I REALLY hope the underrated Charlie Manuel of the Philadelphia Phillies gets votes. He had an injured lineup for 117 games, yet the Phillies blew the doors off their division and are many peoples favorites to be champions.

Dusty Baker, of the Cincinnati Reds, did a great job as well this year.

But what Bud Black did with the San Diego Padres is amazing. They almost had a dream season without a whole lot of talent.

Can Chris Henry Inspire The Bengals To The Super Bowl?

Death is the only guarantee in life, and the game of football is not exempt from this reality.

There have been quite a few people associated with the game who passed away during a season. The impact of their deaths has varied throughout the history of the game, but most remember the teams that rallied in memory of their fallen comrade.

When the Washington Redskins lost safety Sean Taylor in 2007, because he was murdered, the team was struggling along at a 5-6 record. They dedicated the rest of the season in his memory and finished the year 9-7, which was good enough to make the playoffs. The Redskins clinched the berth by beating their arch rivals, the Dallas Cowboys, by 21 points. The same number which happened to be Taylor's jersey number.

Chuck Hughes is the only player who actually passed away on the gridiron during a game. The Detroit Lions were 4-1 and hosting the Chicago Bears in the 1972 season.

Hughes, a Lions wide receiver, had caught a 32 yard ball earlier in the game, but the Bears held a five point lead late into the fourth quarter. He died running a pass route, and the Bears ended up winning the game. Detroit never recovered from his death, and won just three more games the rest of the year.

The Minnesota Vikings reached the NFC Championship game in 2000, helped by offensive right tackle Korey Stringer's first Pro Bowl year. He passed away on the practice field before the next season began, and the Vikings won just five games that year.

This current season marks the first time the team has won 11 games since Stringer's final season, and just their third playoffs appearance. They had made the playoffs five straight years up until 2000.

When Pro Bowl defensive tackle Jerome Brown died before the 1992 season started, the Philadelphia Eagles had their best overall statistical season since their 1980 Super Bowl season. Though they lost in the second round of the playoffs, most Eagles fans remember it being the last time quarterback Randall Cunningham led them to a winning season before his career experienced a temporary rebirth with the 1998 Vikings.

The Eagles are currently going through the emotions of trying to deal with another death in their family this season. Defensive coordinator Jim Johnson passed away just before the season began. He was considered one of the best coaching minds in the game, and had sent players to 26 Pro Bowls in his ten years with the team.

The Eagles are currently in first place in the NFC East with two games left to play. The team obviously misses Johnson, ranking 15th in points allowed, but is on a mission to finish this season strong in his honor.

There is no raw statistics to prove where a team has success or failure after death becomes a part of their locker room. Some teams crumble, while others have pulled together on a common bond of trying to make the season special so their friends are not forgotten.

Cincinnati went to San Diego this past Sunday with the burden of a heavy heart from the sudden and recent death of wide receiver Chris Henry. Needing the win to secure the AFC North crown, players could be seen visibly in tears during a pregame tribute for Henry. The Bengals wound up losing due to a last second field goal by the Chargers, their second straight defeat.

The Bengals have been a team that has relied on creating turnovers while holding onto the football themselves. Their +24 giveaway/ takeaway ratio is currently the best in the NFL. Running a well balanced team that is equally adept in the run and pass on both sides of the ball, the team is well built for a run deep into the playoffs. Their lack of postseason experience may be the one hindrance they will face.

But Chris Henry may provide them a focal point to assemble a unified front in their goal to get the Bengals the first Super Bowl trophy in the franchises history.

Teams need momentum going into the playoffs, so it will be interesting to see how Cincinnati handles the Kansas City Chiefs and New York Jets in the final two games of the year. The sadness on Henry's passing will still be there, but it is up to the entire Bengals roster to leave him a memorial that will last in the Queen City for years to come.

THE MESSAGE

Peeling off that crusty and stained boa feather, it is once again time for POINTLESS PONDERING. That unretiring showgirl pulling her nipples out of her socks.



It is tough to say goodbye for some. Sports is not exempt from this. We have seen guys like Muhammed Ali hang on too long, and guys like Jim Brown get out ahead of the game.


Sports has said farewell to a few lately in different ways.


John Madden got off the bus, and now will chill at home full time. Madden was known as an intense coach in the NFL for the Oakland Raiders, an actor in several commercials, a long time sports journalist, and a video game mogul.




The Onion is a humor "news"paper. They did a tribute to Madden by doing timeline on him. Many were funny, but the one I liked best said, "1936: Mary Margaret Madden feels what she believes is her child kicking, but is in actuality her unborn son John eating his twin brother."






There are rumblings about the return of Brett Farve




Teams know what they get with him as far as an experienced Hall of Fame bound player. There is that much talked about moxie and flare. There are other opinions, but let's just stick with facts. In 273 regular season games, Favre has coughed up the ball 376 times to the opposition. That is an average of 1.4 turnovers per game. I just hope Vinny Cerrato, of the Washington Redskins, isn't trying to convince owner Dan Snyder to sign him. Still, I wish Brett well. It is America, and he should play as long as both he and any interested team wants it to happen.




I almost feel like waving adios to the Washington Nationals already. Has ANYONE even noticed that Ryan Zimmerman is in the midst of an electric 29 game hitting streak? It is the second longest by any third baseman in the history of major league baseball. I have been a fan of this man since the day he put on a Nationals uniform. He has the best glove in thre hot corner since Brooks Robinson, the greatest ever. The Nationals may not be winning much, but they aren't selling many seats in their ballpark either. This is how D.C. has lost two baseball teams already. It is time for the Nationals public relations department to get busy, because this is a rare feat that Zimmerman is achieving at present time.



Then there are departures through mortality itself.

Here are a few recent partings that has me thankful for the moments shared, and saddened by the realization there will be no more.


Goodbye Dom DeLuise aka Captain Chaos






Peace Harry Kalas


Harry and Ritchie Are Back Together Again








A Bike Ride Is Ending, But The Mission Continues. Spread the Word!

http://www.orphanagefundraiser.com/

The Kids Still Need Our Help!




My friend did an interview with me recently, and I might put some of it in this blog. He is on tour, so grab a ticket for yourself if he heads your way.






MY Favorite Instrumental By Him



Well, it's that time to make like a baby and head out. Like they say on Ol' Mexico = A.M.F.

I Must Be In The Front Row

The Genius Of Bob Uecker

Bob Uecker makes me wish I had been able to listen to Brewers games since 1971 from the same booth in which he broadcast from.

Milwaukee fans know what I mean.

The rest of us are lucky just to catch snippets of him.

From his TV shows, movies, and commercials, the man has entertained Americans for decades.

And say what you want to about his playing career, the man owns a World Series ring. He may try to say he didn't earn it, but it is obvious he did.



Bob is 74 years young these days, and is as sharp as he has always been.



Here is a montage of some of his quips and clips :




Anybody with ability can play in the big leagues. But to be able to trick people year in and year out the way I did, I think that was a much greater feat.


Baseball hasn't forgotten me. I go to a lot of old-timers games and I haven't lost a thing. I sit in the bullpen and let people throw things at me. Just like old times.


Career highlights? I had two. I got an intentional walk from Sandy Koufax and I got out of a rundown against the Mets.


I didn't get a lot of awards as a player. But they did have a Bob Uecker Day Off for me once in Philly.


I had slumps that lasted into the winter.


I hit a grand slam off Ron Herbel and when his manager Herman Franks came out to get him, he was bringing Herbel's suitcase.


I knew when my career was over. In 1965 my baseball card came out with no picture.


I led the league in "Go get 'em next time."


I set records that will never be equaled. In fact, I hope 90% of them don't even get printed.


I signed with the Milwaukee Braves for three-thousand dollars. That bothered my dad at the time because he didn't have that kind of dough. But he eventually scraped it up.


If a guy hits .300 every year, what does he have to look forward to? I always tried to stay around .190, with three or four RBI. And I tried to get them all in September. That way I always had something to talk about during the winter.


In 1962 I was named Minor League Player of the Year. It was my second season in the bigs.


Let's face it. Umpiring is not an easy or happy way to make a living. In the abuse they suffer, and the pay they get for it, you see an imbalance that can only be explained by their need to stay close to a game they can't resist.


One time, I got pulled over at four a.m. I was fined seventy-five dollars for being intoxicated and four-hundred for being with the Phillies.


People don't know this but I helped the Cardinals win the pennant. I came down with hepatitis. The trainer injected me with it.


Sporting goods companies pay me not to endorse their products.


Sure, women sportswriters look when they're in the clubhouse. Read their stories. How else do you explain a capital letter in the middle of a word?


The highlight of my career? In '67 with St. Louis, I walked with the bases loaded to drive in the winning run in an intersquad game in spring training.


The way to catch a knuckleball is to wait until it stops rolling and then pick it up.


When I came up to bat with three men on and two outs in the ninth, I looked in the other team's dugout and they were already in street clothes.


When I looked at the third base coach, he turned his back on me.


I was born and raised in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Actually, I was born in Illinois. My mother and father were on an oleo margarine run to Chicago back in 1934, because we couldn't get colored margarine in Wisconsin. On the way home, my mother was with child. Me. And the pains started, and my dad pulled off into an exit area, and that's where the event took place. I remember it was a Nativity type setting. An exit light shining down. There were three truck drivers there. One guy was carrying butter, one guy had frankfurters, and the other guy was a retired baseball scout who told my folks that I probably had a chance to play somewhere down the line.

Well, a couple of grand slammers and the Brewers are right back in this one (Uecker during the 8th inning of a game the Brewers were losing 8–0.)

The biggest thrill a ballplayer can have is when your son takes after you. That happened when my Bobby was in his championship Little League game. He really showed me something. Struck out three times. Made an error that lost the game. Parents were throwing things at our car and swearing at us as we drove off. Gosh, I was proud.


I had slumps that lasted into the winter.

A doctor told me to drink lemon juice after a hot bath. But I have never finished the bath.


I won the Comeback of the Year Award five years in a row!

I'm scared of the Reds.

I had been playing for a while, and I asked Louisville Slugger to send me a dozen flame treated bats. But when I got it, I realized they had sent me a box of ashes.


A Story Told About Uecker By Artie Lange To David Letterman






Uecker As A WWE Announcer





A Few Of His Famous Lite Beer Commercials










Uecker On Johnny Carson's Tonight Show
















The Famous Bob Uecker Seats in Milwaukee that cost one dollar to sit in





Thank You for letting us have front row seats to your brilliance Ueck