Being Thankful for the Lions

There are three reasons, and only three reasons to ever have a memory about the Detroit Lions. Barry Sanders, Thanksgiving turkey legs, and having a friend you made fun of for years who happeneed to like the Detroit Lions. Those really are my only memories of the Detroit Lions. I never hated the Lions, there was no reason to. They really aren't as much of a laughing stock as people may think. They had a formidable run in the 1990's, perhaps it's because they had the services of a man named Barry Sanders, the greatest running back of all-time. (While we're here lets get one thing clear, Barry Sanders is the greatest running back of all-time. And here's why I choose to say this beyond the fact, it's my humble opinion. Emmitt Smith, who holds the record for career rushing yards, has stated that had Sanders never retired, Sanders would have crushed the record for yards rushing. So there, when the man who has the record knows he shouldn't have it, Barry wins.)
Back to the Lions. Tomorrow is thanksgiving. Throughout the years, Thanksgiving has grown into my favorite holiday, on the large basis of the three F's. Family, food, and football, (sadly I'm not sure which order I prefer most.) For the last three years, my thanksgiving's have been without one thing I have missed so much, it is making fun of the Lions.
Of course I still make fun of them. They find ways to blow games, get crushed by opponents and have quarterbacks named Krieg, McMahon and Harrington. But I miss the kid I used to make fun of them to.
Matt Mikolaichik, was the biggest and well, only Lions fan I ever met. I'm pretty sure he only liked Barry Sanders, but when your 7 years old and your watching Barry Sanders run past what seems like 20 people and spin and juke through 30 more, you'd fall in love with him too. Well Matt fell in love with Barry Sanders, wearing a blue number 20 jersey to Saturday morning bowling on more than 10 occaisions. At this point in my life, I couldn't make fun of Matty and the Lions yet. In 1991, they went to the NFC Championship game, and Barry was leading the league in rushing every year. We had gone six years without seeing each other from first grade untill 7th grade, due to the elementary school split our school had. But when we reunited in the 7th grade, the tables had turned. Barry had inexplicably retired, the Lions stunk again and I could make fun of Matty all the time. And when he chose to make fun of me I usually fired back with a lions remark.
But I spent time commiserating with Matt as well. Telling him things like "Hey I heard Barry might make a comeback!" or "Matt Millen can be a good GM just give him time,". We spent time imitating the faces made by Marty Mohrningwig after an 0 and i can't remember how many losses start in 2001. Nothing topped Christmas eve in 2000, when the lowly Bears and their kicker hit a 50 yarder to eliminate the lions from postseason contention and put the Rams in the playoffs. Even my father took the time to laugh at Matty's expense I think (my dad's a Rams fan).
In October 2003, Matty had died. I had gone through the months, realizing Matty had died but never really latching on to anything and spending more time trying to talk through things then being sad. But on thanksgiving, for the first time in many years, I couldn't dial Matty's number on thanksgiving to let him know how bad hisLions were gonna get beat. Although, that year they didn't lose. The beat the Packers 22-14. I choose to believe that Matt, had quite a bit to do with that.
Since that win, the Lions have lost three straight. But this year, there good. They have offensive weapons for the first time since Barry. And this year, they play the team they beat in '03, The 9-1 Packers.
So this year, I'd say bet the house on the lions. I know if Matt was alive, he would. Matt didnt use much logic, how else could it be explained he picked the lions to be his team in the first place?

Tim Tebow for Heisman

Nineteen touchdowns and twenty three touchdowns. I am choosing to write out these numbers because maybe they won't jump off the screen to the eyes. Okay, so now let's try and make them jump off the screen. 19 RUSHING TOUCHDOWNS AND 23 PASSING TOUCHDOWNS. A TOTAL OF 42 TOUCHDOWNS. Okay, now that that's out of my system let's break down why it is so exciting.

The above numbers are the touchdown totals of the best quarterback in the SEC and maybe in the country, Tim Tebow, quarterback, Florida Gators. Number 15 is out and out a touchdown machine. And maybe he's more than that. He's a leader, he's a warrior, he's got arms the size of the gators that reign in the swamp. He's something else.

So now that the comparisons to wild animals are gone, let's talk about why he is important. The Heisman trophy. Tim Tebow will come to represent another failure in Heisman trophy's commitment to awarding the most outstanding college football player.

Dennis Dixon, who let's get the record straight right now, is having a fantastic season and is a terrific player. However, he has two things that the media has failed to realize: A potent running back and a dynamic defense that makes the big play when necessary.

Tim Tebow is doing the majority of the work for the Gators. There have been some games where Tebow has not handed it off to a running back. It scares me that he might not make it out of his college career with the amount of abuse he takes on a game to game basis.

While many other points could be made, two numbers come down to it. 1 and 3. 1 is the number of losses that Dixon has, and 3 is the number of losses that Tebow has, and sadly that will affect the race. One test that is always fun to play is the switch. If you put Tebow on Oregon and Dixon on Florida what would the teams look like? I think it's safe to say Jonathan Stewart would be a major factor to helping Tebow. Of course there are numerous factors like the spread option, the swamp, the offensive lines. But in a general sense, It might be safe to say the switch would prove in Tebow's favor.

The last point that should be made for Tim Tebow is the LSU game. Now, Tebow did lose this game. Did he almost have them win? Yes. Did they? no. But watch tape of that game. LSU has the reputation of being the best defense perhaps in the country, with maybe the best interior defensive line anhcored by Glenn Dorsey. But if you watched Tebow run the ball through that line, the line shifted in positive yardage and never did Tebow get put directly on his back. Unbelieveable.

My Heisman vote?
1. Tim Tebow
2. Dennis Dixon
3. Darren "Altered Beast" McFadden
4. Colt Brennan
5. Glen Dorsey

The Playoffs Part II

Okay, so nothing worse than watching an entire year of Major League Baseball, and none of your predictions are coming true. I really need to start getting used to this, I haven't made correct predictions since like 1998.
Some dissapointments so far: No Cubs Phillies NLCS. This would of been the highest rated NLCS in the last 15 years, no question about it. Two tortured fan bases and organizations remain tortured.

Some pleasant surprises: The Cleveland Indians! Just a badass group who hasn't been afraid for a second in this series. C.C. Sabathia. FAUSTO CARMONA?! HELLO. Everyone said the playoffs would be a whole new game for them, it looked about the same as it has all year to them.

Under the Radar: Curt Schilling. I know, I know, how does Curt Schilling fly under the radar? Well on a sunday afternoon opposite of football in California. Schilling pitched 7 innings of shutout ball, furthering his status to me as the Greatest Big Game pitcher I have ever seen. Please keep in mind I was born in 1987, never saw Bob Gibson (although his highlight reel is sick) Was only 4 when Jack Morris was going at it and really didn't appreciate the likes of Smoltz, Maddux or Glavine when they were stomping my Mets all them years. So theres my reasoning on Schilling being the big gamer. I'm willing to listen to all arguments though.

Something I'm looking forward to: Not Boston and New York. These fan bases are getting exactly what's coming to them. There are your true Yankees and Red Sox fan's. And then there are those who don't realize there are 28 other teams in Major League Baseball. All year, they thought it was coming down to them. It's not. I'm excited to see Boston and Cleveland, although realistically I'm typing this while the Yankees are still alive. So there prolly gonna win and I'm gonna have to eat my words.

Something to really look forward to: Colorado vs. Arizona. Has about the same sex appeal as Britney Spears these days, but on the upside, this is going to be a long exciting series. Arizona has kids, Colorado's got kids. If Arizona only had a guy on their team with an exciting name in their lineup then it'd be exciting. Instead there stuck with guys named Mark Reynolds, Conor Jackson, and Eric Byrnes. If Arizona had Troy Tulitwitzki, now thats another story. Realistically, theres serious young talent in this series. Matt Holliday went from being only known in Denver and by Baseball insiders to being a bona fide superstar with one dive in the dirt. I'll admit it hurts a little to know that the NL will be represented by The Diamondbacks or Rockies (both expansion teams).

Revised World Series Prediction: Cleveland over Colorado in 7.

Let's Go Fausto Carmona!

Baseball Playoff predictions 2007

ALDS
Anaheim over Boston 3-2
New York over Cleveland 3-2

ALCS
New York over Anaheim 4-3
ALCS MVP: Joba Chamberlin

NLDS
Philadelphia over Colorado 3-2
Chicago over Arizona 3-1

NLCS
Philadelphia over Chicago 4-3
NLCS MVP: Chase Utley

World Series
Philadelphia Phillies over New York Yankees 4-3
World Series MVP: Alex Rodriguez

Not one of these will come true. Philly Chicago will be such an exciting series just based on the cities alone. I don't think i can stomach another Boston New York ALCS cause boston sucks. That will prolly happen tho. Wouldn't be shocked if Cleveland made some noise. Sabathia and FAUSTO Carmona are too two dynamite not to get atleast one win in them first two games. The best would be if ARod hit something like .723 with 18 home runs and the Yankees still lost, in which case you'd be looking at your 2008 World Series Champ, ARod, Sweet Lou and Steve Bartman the 2008 Chicago Cubs.

While we're here lets just make a make-shift 2008 Cubs team with ARod
1B- Derrick Lee
2b- Ryan Theroit/Mark DeRosa
SS- Alex Rodriguez
3B- Aramis Ramirez
RF- Alfonso Soriano
CF- Felix Pie
LF- Jacque Jones
C- Jason Kendall? I think I don't know if this is right but it even looks scary.

Lets go Fausto Carmona!

The Mets

Instead of crying and sobbing and whining, and crying and punching holes through walls about the Mets' collapse. I am instead going to inform you and wish that at this time you scroll to the very bottom of this blog and look at the first blog I ever posted. It is about the Mets and Phillies. I wrote that i was scared as hell of the Phillies. I am correct. Doesn't happen a lot, but this time I knew it would happen.

Anyways, The Mets collapse: The Mets were never a good team this year. They played over their head eary in the year, getting ridicoulas performances from John Maine and Jorge Sosa. I said all year eventually The Braves would overtake first place. The thing is, the lead should of somehow never got all the way up to 7 games this late. Give Philadelphia some credit too and the Braves for blowing their games along the way. The blew it along during the season while the Mets remained an even keil. But finally, at just the time where you can't go dead. The Mets did, and that's why they will live in infamy and as the team who had the biggest late season collapse of all-time.

If I sound bitter about the collapse, yeah maybe i am a little bit. But realistically, the Mets never had it throughout the year. They never woulda made a splash in the playoffs.
Maybe I'll flip flop on this, but I'd rather die the slow death with this team, then the sudden death when Carlos Beltran left his bat on his shoulder last October. I'm still missing skin on my knuckles from that one.

Undefeated?

Through 3 weeks of NFL, we now know that the New England Patriots are the best team in football and they will go undefeated. I know this because i have their schedule hanging in my living room that i took as a gift from my work (i work at a sports bar). Okay maybe they won't go undefeated but it's fun to think about. They played 2 legit opponents so far, and the Bills, which look to be already getting ready to draft at the number 1 spot. But you could make the case atleast the Jets and Chargers, while both just 1-2 so far, are legit.
Tom Brady is putting up insanely ridicoulas numbers, Randy Moss is doing everything he can do (atleast that we think he can do, until the time comes when i runs the 40 yard dash backwards at like a time of 2.2, which might be possible i dont know). The defense is there, the special teams are there, the mini-drama (cameragate) which is about as big a joke as Michael Vick at this point. But most of all the fun is there.
While you could sit around in the room and argue that the patroits will go undefeated, you could hear valid arguments for and against. Then there will just plain be some asshole who doesn't wanna see it happen because there heart is black and can't root for anything good anymore. Well, i'm rooting for it. But it'll be fun, because like i said i have the poster of the schedule. It ain't easy by any stretch. Dallas, Indy and Pittsburgh can all lay claim to being the best so far. And they all play New England.
If it happens at the end of the year that the Pats go 19-0, i'll frame the schedule, try to meet Randy Moss (cause he's on my fantasy team), and I'll tell my grand kids about how fun it was to watch a team go undefeated. And i won't be an asshole.

How Is This Possible?

Sports are great for numerous reasons. But there is a little known reason that sometimes flys under the radar. It has nothing to do with actual performance. It's really more rhetorical questions and arguments that can be brought up. Here is your example folks:
The Florida Gators football team won the National Championship in 2006.
They 2007 Florida Gators footbal team is going to be better than the team in 2006.
Yet The 2007 Florida Gators football team will (probably) not win the National Championship.
Somehow this logic makes me wonder. Shouldn't a team that won it all, and is coming back win the championship again?

I guess things can happen other teams can improve more but something about this type of thing always makes me curious.

And about that Florida team, if I could choose one lifestyle to live, it would be the starting quarterback at the University of Florida. The lifestyle is probably one to brag about. However the last two quarterbacks, Chris Leak, an inwardly shy kid, and Tim Tebow, a devout christian, have really not taken full advantage of this "lifestyle". Little things like that kill me.