Headed Across the Pond

​So yea... last night I kinda booked a trip to London, England, lol. 

 

About a month or so back it was announced by the NFL that the Ravens would play their 1st international game at Wembley Stadium in a regular season (Week 3 or Week 4) road game versus the Jaguars. At that point, I made it my business to somehow fund the trip an entire 8 months in advance of the game & 3 months ahead of the NFL's official schedule release.

 

*1/21/17 edit: the NFL confirmed the game for Week 3 (Sept. 24th) prior to the official schedule release in April - now I won't have to wait until to attach specific dates to various activities & events* 

 

But already, I've taken care of all of the major trip-related expenses to include a travel package that includes airfare, hotel accommodations, a River Thames cruise, London Eye ride & of course... tickets to the big game. 

 

I've been here at my desk since 6:30a researching additional things to do during the trip - I plan to make the most of it! I still have my international hall pass on ice & I'm so very anxious to get my first passport stamp in September. Now I just need to set aside more spending money & make sure I have enough Ravens gear to wear every day of the trip!

Oops...

...I almost let June get by without a blog post! I'm shooting from the hip tonight, as I type this, I'm waiting for an idea to pop into my head. So....... how about this 2014 FIFA World Cup soccer tournament? Sarcasm aside, I really have been keeping up with the USA matches & even some of the matches between other countries as well: guess I now have the subject of today's post - see how quickly it happens when I stop procrastinating & just put pen to paper (or finger to keyboard, rather :-)

I'm hardly a huge international soccer fan though, I only even know of a couple of popular fútbol clubs such as the Manchester United (of England) or FC Barcelaona (of Spain). Hell, outside of a few championship runs during the inaugural seasons of Washington's soccer club, the DC United, I've never passionately watched Major League Soccer (MLS) in this country either.

But this year, I actually have a true interest in the sport, so I've been paying attention during any of the coverage I run across lately. It's definitely an exciting sport, even by American standards (we love to see tons of scoring in our own US pastimes like football & basketball). I'm now able to appreciate the level of defense & coverage in those 0-0 or 1-0 games, my favorite element of soccer are the shootouts sometimes required to break a tie. 

The shootouts feature 1-on-1 match-ups between the goal keeper & an opposing team's player. By the way, I'm super fascinated by the goal keeper for both teams, so I guess it makes perfect sense that I'm most excited to see the rare shootout in soccer. I'm that way with hockey too - I always gravitate towards the goalie!

Oh & how cool is it that goal keepers get to wear uniform colors that completely differ from the rest of their squad??? Plus, they're the only ones allowed to use their hands to contact the soccer ball during play - if I'd played as a youth, I'd definitely have been 1 of the kids lined-up to tryout at goal keeper. Tomorrow afternoon the US, having advanced to the 2nd stage of the tournament last week, will face Belgium... I'll be watching - Go USA!

Goddesses of the Gridiron...

Last night I attended my 1st Lingerie Football League game as the Philadelphia Passion defeated the Baltimore Charm, 24-12, so I decided to blog about the current state of the 3 year-old league. But 1st-off, the game was well-attended & the atmosphere in 1st Mariner Arena (located in downtown Baltimore) was pretty electric throughout the contest & the action was FAR more exciting to witness in-person.

It just so happened that 1 of the league's best players (if not the best), Marirose Roach, plays for Philadelphia and she was very impressive! It definitely won't be my last taste of 'Friday Night Football' - I had a blast! The 2011-12 season began back in August & this makes the 2nd time in a year that I've blogged about the league (click here to see that post), but this time I felt the league deserved it's very own post. I know a lot of folk view the LFL as a joke or objectifying towards women, but the LFL actually features quite a few studs (if it's ok to call women studs, lol).

The women of this league definitely play with an extremely high level of passion & aggression - I respect that. There will always be those who view the league as a gimic & regardless of whether that's true or not, it's currently the only place where women can play (televised) competitive professional football, giving the LFL a certain amount of instant credibility in my eyes. Besides, who doesn't love a good ol' fashioned chick fight from time to time? Lol.

But seriously, what many critics fail to understand is that LFL teams are often led by former NFL players & the rosters are comprised of women's golden glove boxing champs, US Olympic hockey team stars, lacrosse, basketball, softball standouts, & even the daughters of previous NFL Superbowl champions - bottom line, these gals are ATHLETES, not just pretty faces in sexy uniforms attempting to be cute.

In the games I've watched on tv & now in-person, I've noticed much improved coaching & overall gameplay. Quarterbacks are throwing fade patterns, receivers are pulling in 1-handed grabs with ease, running backs are slamming into would-be tacklers, defenders are running down opponents & finishing with big hits too! At this point, I honestly think I could go without the revealing uniforms, especially if it meant more people taking the league more seriously. I just don't think the lingerie is necessary to push the popularity of the league anymore, but a very nice bonus, I'll admit, lmao.

Above all, the young league seems to be flourishing. Game footage normally condensed into half-hour highlight segments for television, are now hour & a half time blocks reserved for complete, live game coverage. Now you're able to see coach/player interaction in-between plays & really get a feel for both the attitude & tempo of a game. They've even got instant replay challenges & better in-game analysis by television commentators (including former NFL athletes).

I've found that I'm even learning certain strengths & weaknesses of various players across the league. The LFL is doing a great job of developing recognizable stars & I've even got a favorite player now! Since 2009, the league has expanded from 10 to 12 teams, each playing a 4-schedule, not including playoff games & the widely known Lingerie Bowl (a perennial pay-per-view event broadcasted during halftime of the NFL's Superbowl since 2004, which ultimately lead to the start actual LFL league play).

League commissioner, Mitchell S. Mortaza, expects future expansion in 10 more U.S. cities (including Houston, New Orleans & Washington, DC) in coming seasons. To help promote the LFL's 1st attempt at an international league, LFL Canada, the 2010-11 LFL all-star game, appropriately dubbed the "All-Fantasy Game," was played in Hamilton, Ontario this past July. Additional international expansion is expected to include LFL Australia (2013) & LFL Europe (2014). LFL Canada will begin play in 2012.

During regular season games, arena's often appear to be filled to near-capacity & both men & women, alike, seem to enjoy the non-stop action. Hopefully, the very next orders of business will include longer schedules & getting future games/seasons broadcasted in high definition! Of all sports, the Lingerie Football League has the absolute most to gain from an HD format for obvious & quite perverted reasons & I won't even get started with what a 3-D presentation might do for one's viewing enjoyment :-D

Just Thought this was Pretty Cool...

The Baltimore Ravens (my favorite football team) now distribute iPads to it's players, rather than the old-fashioned playbooks & to me, that seems like an excellent idea.

Players now have the convenience reviewing game film, studying plays & game plans all in one device. The only other team that seems to use iPads for playbooks are the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, so it appears the Ravens are on the cutting edge in this regard.

According to the blog I read on the teams website, Ravens offensive coordinator, Cam Cameron (pictured above) wondered if the team's several-hundred page playbook could somehow be transferred to some sort of tablet device. Less than a year later - the notion is a reality. The teams says the responses by players & coaches alike, have been rather positive so far -- well duhhh! Lol.

"There are things it’s good for & things that the paper is better for. You can put video on it, which is very convenient. It’s nice to not have to carry around a giant playbook all week. “I do print some things out so I can mark down the route progressions & things like that, but in all, it’s been an easy transition", said Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco.

The team purchased 110 iPads & even purchased 10 more when the NFL expanded training camp rosters to 90 players this year. According to Nick Fusee, the Ravens' Director of Information Technology, several tablets were tested before settling on Apple's 64 gb iPad 2. Fusee expects the new playbook distribution method to save the considerable printing costs over the new few years.

“Our video staff has already got the game loaded on their laptop, so all they have to do is plug in through iTunes & load it up on the plane. It only takes a minute, & the guys like that,” Fusee added.

Another huge benefit of going the iPad route is that the Ravens cam always remotely wipe data from any stolen or missing iPad ensuring that playbook & scouting info doesn't 'conveniently' fall into the hand of another team. Additional security measures include automatic wiping of the device after 3 incorrect password entries.

The Atlanta Falcons also flirted with iPads this year. They used the tablet to conduct pre-draft interviews. In my opinion this is yet another example of how tablets are taking over & I, for 1, love it...

Selective Discipline...

Yea, I know - it was more than 3 weeks ago, but I'm still angry about it... ever since Roger Goodell took over as NFL Commissioner in 2006, I've generally been supportive of the changes he's made & pretty much given him a pass on most of the questionable rule-changes & decisions he's made, but the Terrelle Pryor 5-game suspension, quite honestly, pissed me off.

Just to catch you up, Pryor (and 4 other teammates) received a 5-game by the NCAA for selling championship rings jerseys and awards along with accepting gifts & money from a tattoo parlor & it's owner during his time at Ohio State University, an infraction his coach Jim Tressel, had full knowledge of, but failed to report to the NCAA. The improper benefits were later discovered by the NCAA this past winter, but Pryor & company were allowed to play in OSU's bowl game, provided they agree to serve the 5-game suspension the following season.

Pryor & his 4 co-conspirators did indeed participate in the Sugar Bowl (a 31-26 victory over Arkansas), but this summer Tressel resigned as head coach of OSU amid the ongoing scandal & Pryor decided to go pro, rather than return to OSU. Since the NFL draft had already taken place in April, Pryor entered his name into the NFL's supplemental draft (a closed-door draft held for players with special circumstances preventing them from participating in the NFL's general draft) to be held just before the start of the season.

He was allowed to participate in the draft provided he agree to serve a 5-game NFL suspension following his eventual selection by the Oakland Raiders in the supplemental draft. There are few things in life that bug me more than interfering with a person's right to go out & make money. In my mind, the league has no right (nor authority) to impose any sort of suspension based upon infractions in a previous 'amateur' league.

Yes, he most likely committed infractions while a student-athlete but there is no previous precedent that justifies commuting an NCAA suspension to any sort of NFL punishment. In fact, the exact opposite is the only precedent that existed before this situation. In 2009, Jeremy Jarmon was suspended for his ENTIRE senior season at the University of Kentucky for what the NCAA called an illegal diuretic. The NFL allowed him into the supplemental draft that year with no carryover punishment whatsoever, so.... wtf???

Colleges & universities are hit with NCAA sanctions all the time based upon infractions committed by players who have long since gone pro, so why is Pryor being made an example here? It would have been all-too-easy for the League to develop & properly publicize such future penalties for players who go pro & are later found (or already known) to be violators of NCAA rules, but to be singled-out & be used as a lab rat isn't right either. This is the same league that denied Johnny Unitas (& many more) disability pay for injuries clearly sustained as a result of a professional football career, & now all of the sudden the league has a conscience? Yea, right.

League spokesperson Greg Aiello said Pryor was suspended by Goodell for 'essentially' violating the spirit of the supplemental draft... really? So violating the spirit of rule justifies completely making up your own in response? The case-by-case evaluation of players to be disciplined by the league has gotten completely out of hand. It seems that Gooddell & the League office haven't a clue as what they're doing & I'm wondering when the NFL Player's Association (or any civil rights group for that matter) will step-in.

I was even MORE disappointed to learn that Pryor would not be appealing the 5-game suspension. I guess I understand why - he just wants to cut his losses & get started with his pro career & put this all behind him, who could blame him? But I think he did he & his fellow league players a bit of a disservice by giving-in to 'Master Goodell' so easily. Incidentally, did you know that a violation of the league's substance abuse policy typically only carries a suspension of about 4 games (for repeat offenders) & as few as 1 game, or in the case of popular stars like Pittsburgh's Hines Ward, a 0-game suspension? So that means the NFL's penalty for getting slapped with DUI, using coke, smoking weed or taking steroids is LESS severe than receiving improper benefits while attending any of the NCAA's member schools - what a f@#%ed up system.

Oh & Pryor's former college coach? He accepted a coaching position with the Indianapolis Colts, without penalty from the League. Instead, the Colts themselves decided to suspend Tressel (for 5-games) days later, as the new hiring began to pick up steam among media outlets. When asked about the team-imposed suspension, Goodell said he would have suspended Tressel if the Colts had not already done so, bull-sh!t, absolute bull-sh!t.

He didn't waste a moment suspending Pryor beforehand, so why would he sit back and allow the Colts the opportunity discipline Tressel themselves, when he hadn't offered the Raiders the same opportunity with Pryor??? While I don't condone Pryor's improper actions, such infractions have existed for years & it's hardly fair to use Pryor as an example to help supplement the League's weak stance regarding players & their previous NCAA infractions before turning pro.

What if you quit a VOLUNTEER job, failed to give 2-weeks notice & the government decided to dock your 1st 2-weeks of pay at your new PAYING gig? The way I see it, that's basically what happened here. Yes, quitting the job & giving no notice is certainly frowned upon & probably considered immoral by many, but you'd go ballistic if you were penalized for actions taken while employed in a previous position.

The 1st thing you'd probably wonder is 'why the government is involved in the 1st place' the second might be 'can they even do this?' Where is the equal standard of justice? All I ask for, in any walk of life, is consistency across the board - the League has proven to be incapable of providing such. I don't trust the Goodell to be fair in such dealings & can't possibly conceive how any NFL player would either...

Showdown...

In this, the 3rd meeting of the year, I expect a full-on assault of anyone who carries the ball for either of the 2 teams. This will be the 8th meeting for Baltimore & Pittsburgh in the past 3 seasons & the simple fact is these 2 teams know 1 another far too well. Right down to each player, each coach, each tendency, each strength & specifically - each perceived weakness.

The NFL's AFC North Division Champion Steelers finished the season with a record identical to the Ravens (12-4), & the 2 teams split the regular season series (1-1). The past 4 meetings between the 2 have been split as well & get this - the total points scored by the 2 in those 4 games were 67 a piece! Even crazier, all 4 of those games were decided by 3 points, exactly. Both teams play in cities rich in tough, blue-collar tradition & accordingly, neither fan base appears to want Saturday's win any less than the other.

In the previous December meeting in Baltimore, both teams' quarterbacks were abused throughout the contest. The low-scoring affair featured a bloody, broken nosed Ben Roethlisberger & a baffled, overwhelmed Joe Flacco (who surrendered a game-changing fumble in the closing minutes of the game). Both men were courageous in the effort put fourth on behalf of their respective teams.

In that game, both quarterbacks threw for numbers in the neighborhood of 250 yards & each threw 1 touchdown pass (to Issac Remond & Anquan Boldin), accompanied by a turnover. Neither running back (Rashard Mendenhall or Ray Rice) eclipsed the 45-yard mark in the game & special teams really weren't a factor for either squad.

Though the match-up seems even on paper (not to mention the way it's actually been playing-out on the field in recent years), I expect 1 team to take control of this game early. There's no doubt players on both sides will exchange punches til the bitter end, but at this point in the season, injuries & fatigue should play a larger role, so you'd want to take a halftime lead into the locker room. In my estimation, it'll come down to the team that wants it more - I'm hoping that team will be the 1 wearing purple...

What an Immaculate Fall from Grace...

Friday morning as I rode the train into work, I browsed Jet magazine & came across an article that highlighted the 2010 Black College Football All-American Team. "No Howard players this year," I thought to myself. But just what is the deal with the Howard University football program anyway?

Over the past 3 seasons, HU has posted a whopping record of 4-29, including an even more abysmal conference record of 0-24 over the same timespan (yes, 0-24). It's down-right embarrassing when you KNOW 80% of the people at a home game are there just to see the marching band. Long gone are the glory days when teams knew they could count on one hell of a battle when facing the Bison.

2004 was the last time the football team actually posted a winning record (6-5, overall) & I simply don't know the last time they posted a winning conference record. Shit, they can't even manage to schedule homecoming games to win anymore - the last time they managed to do so was 2007, it was the highlight of yet, another losing season. I mean really - the bleakness of the program's current situation commands immediate attention from somebody, hell anybody!

Something is fundamentally broken with the HU Athletic Department with specific regard to the football team & rather than do something about it, the University is perfectly fine with using the standard "we're an educational institution 1st" approach whenever someone brings to light the consistent ineptitude of the football program.

While I can't argue with that fact, I can say that people take a certain amount of pride from watching their alma maters compete & win the big football game. It's a sense of accomplishment shared by everyone close to a given institution, so it would be nice if university administration showed interest in the current state of the football program, or at the very least - a lil' school pride for goodness sake...

The Man They Call "Breesus..."

Gutsy performance by Drew Brees last night. When the defending champion Saints most needed their quarterback to rise to the occasion against the division leading Atlanta Falcons, he did just that! Overall, it was certainly a sub-par performance (when factoring-in 2 interceptions in addition to his lone touchdown passs) by Brees.

That being said, a below average day for Brees equates to a tolerable game by far for most other quarterbacks in the league. With time running out in the regular season & a potential playoff birth on the line, Brees overcame 2 horrible 4th quarter passes, both of which were intercepted by Falcons defensive ends (Chauncy Davis returned the 1st 26 yards for a touchdown, John Abraham snatched the 2nd pick right out of mid-air but was luckily tackled by Brees, otherwise that would have been returned for 6 points as well).

At the time, it appeared as though the 2nd turnover might have been the final death-blow to an already up & down season for the Saints. It was at this point, that the Saints defense came up with a much needed stop to give their Super Bowl MVP a chance to make up for his earlier struggles. The next offensive drive by the Saints literally saved their season (at least for another week anyway).

In a hostile environment where the Falcons had not lost a home game since 2009, Brees marched the Saints down the field with a time consuming, 13-play drive which ate up 6 minutes & 37 seconds of clock - leaving the Falcons little time to respond. The Falcons were eventually unable to do so & the Saints came away with a crucial victory which seemingly announced to the league that the Saints were still relevant, indeed.

Off the field, he seems to be a pretty stand-up dude as well. After watching him address the media in the post-game press conference following their loss to the Ravens 2 weeks back, I took notice of the way he took absolute responsibility for the opportunities his team left on the field. I took specific pleasure in observing the way he respected his opponents (even in defeat).

Most fans of the sport are well aware of the rejuvenation Brees & the Saints provided for New Orleans residents in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina - initially, I chalked Brees' humility & leadership up to the standard public relation protocols, often taken by organizations such as the NFL in response to tragic events such as Katrina, but his continued involvement in the community (even today) seems genuine & I definitely respect that.

Apparently, the editors of Sports Illustrated, who named Brees it's 57th Sportsman of the Year earlier in the month, respect the guy as well. Who knew his 2006 arrival in New Orleans (a city ravaged by instability, violence & crisis just months earlier) would be the start of such a tremendous experience for victims in such desperate need of uplifting? Even still, Brees insists it's the city that saved him, & not the other way around.

The 2 seasons that preceded his arrival in the Buyou were tumultuous campaigns to say the least. The San Diego Chargers who drafted Brees in 2001, benched him repeatedly & then acquired Phillip Rivers in 2004, following a catastrophic shoulder injury to Brees that many feared he wouldn’t fully recover from. The deal for the rights to Rivers in the 2004 NFL Draft essentially cemented the idea that Bress was NOT the QB they wanted to lead their team, still, he had quite the successful lame-duck season (throwing for over 3,500 yards & 27 TDs) during his final year in San Diego.

Brees continued to excel & threw for more than 4,400 yards each of his 1st 3 seasons with the Saints in a still recovering city, all the while pledging full support to the same community that accepted him with open arms, but the tough times were not yet done for Brees In August of 2009, his estranged mother died (her death was eventually ruled a suicide), even with this, he managed to lead the Saints on a tear through the league, which culminated with the franchise’s 1st Super Bowl win. Fittingly, it appeared that at this point the residents of the city were on their way back up as well. In the article honoring Brees as Sportsman of the year, he told SI's Tim Layden that "People in New Orleans needed someone to care about them & it was the 1 place that cared about me."

An 18-game NFL Season, Why Not?

So I've been listening to the talk about the proposed 18-game NFL season & I've tried my best to hear out all valid reasoning for not moving in that direction, but even after listening to concerns of the players, coaches & fans alike - don't see what the big deal is.

If they're only shaving 2 games from pre-season & adding them to the regular season there's really no significant increase in exposure to injury to players, so I'm really not buying into the whole 'safety of the players' argument. The way I see it, their salaries ( comparison to the typical person) more than covers for hazard pay & unlike soldiers, they don't even have to duck bullets.

Plus, they're even talking about giving teams a 2nd bye-week & additional roster spots, so really - what the fuck is the problem? I'll bet hockey players all over the world are getting a kick out of the soft nature of the the NFL nowadays - from skirts on quarterbacks to players crying about how adding 2 more games to a 16-game season will significantly affect quality of life moving forward. Fuck-outta-here....

Bottom line, it's going to happen, so hopefully all of the infighting between the NFL, team owners & the NFL Players Association will soon cease long enough to get a collective bargaining agreement hammered-out soon (like BEFORE the draft), but the NFLPA isn't helping the pace, by trying to prevent a longer season - it's inevitable my friends...

Reindeer Games...

As I sit here at Ma's house watching my beloved New York Knicks battle the Chicago Bulls on this Christmas afternoon, I'm also scrolling through the guide looking at all of the Christmas Day sporting events on the docket.

According to my rough count of the televised games scheduled to be played today, we'll see 5 games in the NBA today & 1 in the NFL. So of the 4 major professional sports in this country 2 are in action, leaving just the NHL with no games scheduled today (MLB is presently in their offseason).

It's not like I'm a super-religious person (more spiritual than anything), so the more games the merrier (pun intended). But seriously, since the majority of the country seems to fall in-line with the Christian faith, you'd think there'd be more reverence shown towards such a holy day.

I guess I'm just wondering, how much is too much as clearly, there's no longer much concern for players & the Christmas traditions they normally share with their families, which could further be evidenced by the fact that even the NCAA has 4 basketball games scheduled to air today.

So much for being student athletes, geez - I don't know any students forced work on Christmas, so it's rather strange that you'd require a young adult, who might only be months removed from his family, to travel cross-country to play a game on Christmas.

A professional adult or athlete having to work on Christmas for my enjoyment as a consumer is 1 thing, but a kid? Perhaps it's time for the NCAA to be real & just drop the word student from the term 'student-athlete.' It's an absolute hypocrisy the way the NCAA profits so much from these kids, but comes down on 'em with the wrath of God when someone gives 'em an extra benefit.

At the end of the day, increased commercialism of the Christmas holiday has shown us that nothing is truly out of bounds anymore when it comes to turning a profit. So, why would a lucrative field like sports & entertainment be any exception Anyways, just an observation - now LET'S GO KNICKS, lol. Merry Christmas all...

Thompson Gets POSTERIZED, Lol...

<-- This photo to the left pretty much says it all as far as the title of this post & although this particular play wasn't made by my favorite team (but rather against it,) it definitely deserved some face-time! I'm positive it's been all over SportCenter as well, lol.

Hollis Thompson will likely find a new place to camp-out near the basket from this point & guard-forward D.J. Stephens certainly didn't mind demonstrating why when he received a pass from a Tiger teammate & elevated before slamming the ball through the hoop with authority - knocking a flat-footed, stationary Thompson to the hardwood I'm shame.

To make things even worse, upon returning from a commercial break, the camera's caught Hoya guard Austin Freeman & Stephens laughing about the play - that's pretty cold when your own teammate can't even hold the laughter in, lol. But I have to admit that I got a pretty good chuckle out of it as well. They're gonna hound him all season long for this one - I know I sure would if he were my teammate.

As for the game itself, the #10 Georgetown Hoyas cruised to another impressive non-conference road victory over #16 Memphis to improve to 10-1, the final tally was 86-69. The game served as the final tune-up for the start of Big East Conference play - Wednesday the Hoyas will travel to South Bend, Indiana to take on Notre Dame.

As has become typical, Freeman led all scorers with 24 (shooting 66% from 3-pt land), while guard Chris Wright (19 pts) & forward Julian Vaughn (15 pts, 10 rebs & 4 blks) had strong performances as well against a talented, but young Memphis team. It was just the kind of game the Hoyas needed to finish off what as been a grueling non-conference schedule.

Hoya reserve center Henry Sims provided a little more presence in the low-post tonight, he managed only 2 points scoring-wise, but in 17 minutes he blocked 3 shots, had 5 assists & brought in 2 rebounds. He displayed more athleticism tonight than he has in many of the previous games, hopefully it's a sign of his future involvement in G'town's game plan moving forward.

Wizards, Arenas Finally Move-on with Life...

In a deal that was long overdue in my opinion, the Washington Wizards finally completed a deal to move the oft-injured guard, Gilbert Arenas to the Orlando Magic in exchange for forward, Rashard Lewis this past Saturday. Even amid the rumors, the deal was somewhat of a surprise to me as I was under the impression that his 2008 contract extension (worth $111 million) would prove just too hard to pass on to another team.

Fortunately, I was wrong about that & the team freed up a reported $30 million by trading him. Some might recall Arenas arriving in DC to much fanfare following the departure of Michael Jordan (which still burns me to this day) in 2003. The 3-time all-star went on to average just under 22 points per game during his time in the District, but constant injury and ill-timed controversy plagued his final 3 (full) seasons as a Wizard.

In return, the Wizards get the services of Lewis, who spent the 1st 9 years of his career with the Seattle SuperSonics (now the Oklahoma City Thunder), where he was drafted out of high school in the 2nd round of the 1998 NBA Draft before landing in Orlando in 2007. The 2-time all-star has averaged over 16 points per game during his 13 years in the league, but brings with him just 12.2 point per game this season (his lowest ppg avg since 1999).

I think the trade will make the Wizards a much more competitive team, Lewis won’t be expected to be such a scorer here in DC, so the fact that his production has slowed shouldn't diminish the value of the trade much. The table is now officially set for the NBA’s top overall draft pick (John Wall) to claim his team.

It seems to me that both teams will benefit from the trade & while I haven’t heard much reaction from Lewis regarding the trade, I’m sure Arenas (who has a home in Orlando), is very happy to have fresh start – as are the rebuilding Wizards, specifically their president Ernie Grunfield, who was primarily responsible for the aforementioned contract extension in 2008.

Apparently, He's Not Impressed (lol)...

I'm actually not a Redskins hater, so in an attempt to maintain a little journalistic objectivity, I typically don't blog about the Redskins, but after viewing the FOX footage of Donovan McNabb yawning during their 33-30 loss in Dallas yesterday, I thought I'd die from laughter!

Most fans in the region have a pretty decent idea of what McNabb's thoughts must have been after being benched, yet again, by coach Mike Shanahan, still his various expressions as his replacement (Rex Grossman) struggled at times were priceless!

I'm not sure what the hell is going on with this team, but they're certainly 1 of the biggest soap operas in the league, again. It's very strange to see a team go out & trade for a player like McNabb & then bench him, not once, but twice in the very same season they re-signed him to a multi-year/million dollar contract.

I know DO know 1 thing, I would NOT have gone out as a captain for the coin-toss! That was definitely another smack in his face. He's definitely taking all of this bullshit in-stride. As if the season-long nightmare involving (the now suspended) Albert Haynesworth & the Skins' coaching staff weren't enough, now this! Sadly, Skins fans have gotta be used to this by now.

It appears as though the 1 season that Redskins owner Daniel Synder chose to hire a big-time GM & coach (to relinquish personnel management control to) is the very season he needed to step-in & override his coaching staff. It's clear it was Snyder's approach to remain hands-off this season, but damn - the team's 2 biggest investments aren't even starters on the squad anymore, geez...

Losing to Dallas today certainly won't help win Coach Shanahan any new fans in DC. Skins fans can only hope his "my way, or the highway" approach pans out by next season. If not, I highly doubt Mr. Snyder has developed enough patience (nor will he) in such a short span of time to allow Shanahan to get into year #3 of his contract. Be sure to tune-in next season for the league's #1 day-time drama!

So I Hear the Champs are In-town...

Today the Ravens square-off with the New Orleans Saints & ever since Hurricane Katrina, I always root for the Saints - but not today. The Ravens are home today, so me & Pops are headin up to B-more in a few hours. I wont be bringing any moral victories back home with me today, lol. Fuck that, I want this win!

It's a crucial game & if they don't wanna end up sweating out the final weeks of the season, they have to win this game. I tell ya, I love the hell out of this game! There are so very few things that both capture & hold my attention like the NFL on a weekly basis.

That gets me to wondering what the hell is going on with this damn collective bargaining agreement. Are they serious? Some are playing-out the end of their contracts with the uncertainty of whether they'll get any checks after the final one rolls in. I hope those rookie workshops & symposiums made more NFL players cognizant of the proper financial planning.

But getting back to today's game, the defending champs don't appear to be in quite the same form as they were when they made their Super Bowl run last year, nonetheless they remain an offensive juggernaut, so the defense will have their hands full for sure.

The Ravens will need the offense to show up today, hopefully the offense can figure out a way to put together 2 complete halves of football for the 1st time this season. Almost every game has gone to the wire this season, so a decisive victory would be well received by all.

Just a Little More Red Field Talk

Incidentally, I was watching more NCAA FCS playoff action as Eastern Washington University played a semifinal round game on their red home field. Last night's game was presented in a "true" high definition format on ESPN (unlike the standard definition feed that MASN attempted to pull-off as HD on their Hi-Def channel last week) & EWU wore their all-black uniforms (instead of their red pants & jerseys).

The black uniforms popped against the brilliant, bright red playing surface & looked tremendous on television. I think we'll definitely see more of this from teams in the coming years as the recent practice is far too marketable to outlaw...

Btw, EWU defeated Villanova 40-31 to advance to the FCS Championship where they will play the winner of the Deleware State/Georgia Southern game IN TEXAS & NOT on their red field :-(

Wait, a Red Football Field?

It was only last week that my brother and I were discussing Boise State University's blue turf football field & why no other teams had followed suit with a colored field of their own. While watching some college football Saturday afternoon, I ran across a game that featured a red football field. Eastern Washington University hosted & defeated North Dakota State University on an electric red football field in a NCAA Division I FCS quarterfinal playoff game.

EWU played their 1st game on the red playing surface back in September & have been the recipient of rave reviews & public ridicule alike since that time. Nothing quiets a critic like a winning team as the Eagles are 8-0 their inaugural season on the red turf. Boise State University was the 1st team to install such a playing surface in 1986 when they went with their blue field. Likewise, they too enjoy what has been perceived by some as a competitive advantage as their record on (what has since been dubbed) "smurf turf" is currently 114-30.

Boise State remains the only NCAA Division I FBS team with a non-green paying surface. After a little research, I discovered that the University of New Haven (
Division I FCS
Division II) joined Boise State when they installed a blue turf football field of their own in 2009. I can only assume that their field hasn't gotten more notice in the year that has since passed because it's neither an original idea, nor color, coupled with the fact that they don't play in
the FBS
Division I.



From a fan's perspective, I actually like & welcome the idea of other teams at all levels to doing the same (provided they keep the field dimensions & yard-line markings within the prescribed guidelines of any football league's rule-book). I can see those traditionalist, old-school athletic directors & league commissioners across the country scurrying to create new language addressing what color a team's playing surface must be, lol.

Currently, there is no NCAA rule that addresses the color a team's playing surface must be & in case you're wondering, yes the colored football fields have found their way into the high school level of play as well. West Hills High School (of Santee, CA) installed a blue turf football field this season as well. Their version IS however more original than the University of New Haven's field as their version features an alternating, two-tone shade of blue pattern every other 5 yards of field.

Could it Be?

As a lifelong New York Knicks fan, I'm cautiously impressed by their play so far this season (especially on the road, where they've now piled up 10 wins to improve to 15-9). Tonight's road win over the hometown Wizards could be further indication that maybe (just maybe) this isn't a fluke. Nonetheless, I'll reserve my excitement for a point later in the season, when I can be sure.


You see, they haven't exactly given me or any other Knicks fan a lot to cheer for over the past 15 years. The offseason additions of Amar'e Stoudemire (36 pts, 10 rebounds) & Raymond Felton have proven to be just the shot in the arm that this franchise & it's fan base needed. This was both the 7th consecutive win & game where Stoudemire scored at least 30 pts. The Knicks have won 12 of the past 13 games suggesting that there may be something to this.

I'm searching my mental database trying to recall the last time the Knicks were a viable threat to make any real noise in the East & I'm not able to come up with much. In my lifetime, they've only appeared in 1 NBA Finals series which went the full 7 games in 1994. As it would turn out, I wasn't able to enjoy the final game of that series since most of the 2nd half coverage was interrupted while the nation watched Al Cowlings drive a suicidal OJ Simpson around LA in the infamous white Bronco slow-speed chase.

NBC's coverage resumed just in time to witness John Starks miss 3 consecutive 3-point shots in one possession in the closing seconds of the game & the Houston Rockets went on to claim an NBA Championship. How great would it be to somehow become the team to beat while everyone else has done nothing but talk about the Miami Heat & Boston Celtics as favorites to represent the East in the Finals. I'm just super-glad to see them playing competitive, consistent basketball once again, as my loyalty has certainly been tested (but not compromised) over the years.

New Kids on the Block...

After watching the NFL's Monday Night Football game last night, I longed for even more pigskin action, so I watched a United Football League (UFL) game & followed that up with a Lingerie Football League (LFL) game. I've actually enjoyed the 2 alternative leagues thus far & thought I'd share my thoughts on each this afternoon.

Though many aren't yet aware of either of the 2 leagues, the NFL has definitely found a little extra company within the sport over the past 2 seasons as the LFL & UFL are doing their best to command a bit more attention from those either looking for an alternative to the NFL, or those die-hard football fans (such as myself) who simply desire MORE football action.

This season the United Football League consisted of 5 teams, each of which played an 8-game schedule. League ownership (which include the likes of Dallas Mavericks owner, Mark Cuban & Google IPO, Bill Hambrecht among others*) strategically placed each of it's professional football franchises in cities that currently lack an NFL presence. The rules of the 11-on-11 league closely mirror those of the NFL & provides players (who were unable to secure NFL franchise roster spots) an opportunity to continue playing the game.

UFL rosters feature a unique blend of rising stars & former NFL castaways that still have something to prove – either to the world, or themselves. The 1st 2 seasons of UFL games were aired on Versus & HDNet, respectively. In 2011, the league expects to add a 6th franchise & increase the length of the season to 10 games after beginning with just 4 franchises which played a 6-game season in 2009. With far more recognizable former stars from college & NFL teams, I found it more exciting to watch than Canadian Football League games (even with just 5 franchises currently in operation).

The UFL most definitely isn't a threat to the financial viability of the NFL & though this is hardly the 1st crack at developing an alternative professional football league (aimed at capturing some of the NFL's loyal fan base), I do believe that the business model of each could easily co-exist as an extension of the NFL to some degree.

It's long been rumored that the NFL has been exploring the idea of a developmental football league, akin to the NBA Developmental League (NBDL) & it seems to me that the UFL might be providing the perfect model for such a concept (even though that's clearly not their intent). UFL ownership groups have stated their vested interest in operating as a league independent of NFL involvement, but the reality is that there's only room at the top of the mountain for one king.

In stark contrast, the Lingerie Football League boasts 10 (all female) teams which only play a 4-game season**. The LFL got it's start almost 7 years back during halftime of the NFL's Super Bowl XXXVIII (between the Panthers & Patriots). It was then that the 1st 7-on-7 LFL game debuted on pay-per-view. Ironically, this is also the Super Bowl where Janet Jackson & Justin Timberlake had the infamous wardrobe malfunction. The LFL continues to airs it's championship game during the Superbowl, thusly giving viewers two meaningful games to look forward to on Super Sundays.

Popularity of the original annual Super Bowl halftime game, gained more & more traction with each subsequent Super Bowl, so much that the idea was raised that the annual game be broadened into a true league of it's own (no pun intended). As the name of the league suggests, participants wear revealing football uniforms (incl. the traditional shoulder/knee pads & helmets) in an attempt to lure those who enjoy the combination of sex-appeal, physicality & raw competition alike. League rules most closely resemble those of the Arena Football League** (AFL), which briefly ceased operations in 2008.

In 2009 LFL games were aired on a limited basis, in syndication, before MTV Network purchased rights to air 2010 LFL games; presenting a condensed game format reducing the televised length**** of games into 30-minute segments, perfect for MTV2's Friday night 11:00p - 11:30p time slot. MTV 2 markets the games as "True Fantasy Football," which I personally found to be a nice play on words.

As one might imagine, the LFL has been the subject of much controversy due to the misogynistic overtone & outward appearance***** at 1st glance but in it's defense, it doesn't take long to appreciate the athletes as such & not the sexual objects many portray them to be. Each of these women of the gridiron leave it ALL on the field each & every game, earning my respect in doing so.

Just last night I witnessed a violent crack-back block (helmet-to-helmet at that) & an outstanding one-handed touchdown catch - much like what you'd see in any men's professional league, so if you've got any notion that the participants in this league don't take their craft seriously, you're sorely mistaken. I'll most definitely be attending 1 of the Baltimore franchise's home games next season (assuming there will be a 3rd season of course, lol).

[*] Zach Nelson, CEO of NetSuite & Tim Armstrong, CEO of AOL complete the UFL’s current ownership group. The Tampa Bay Rays (MLB) sold their ownership stake in the league following the 2009 season.

[**] The LFL however stretches the season over 20-weeks, utilizing a clever, multiple bye-week format.

[***] The Arena Football League (acquired by AF1) reorganized & resumed operations in 2010...

[****] Full-length games can be viewed on the LFL website in high definition...

[*****] League founder Mitch Mortaza says the league is intended for "mostly beer-drinking college students aged 21 & up..."

A Rivalry Renewed...

There are few things in sports better than December football & tonight my favorite NFL football team (the Ravens) will face-off with the big, bad Steelers on NBC's Sunday Night Football. This year, the road to the AFC North Division title runs through Baltimore, (as always) Pops & I will certainly be in attendance!

It always seems to come down to these two foes who are both 8-3 coming into the matchup, & I'm very excited to see how things play out. Both teams will likely qualify for the playoffs regardless of who wins, so it's hardly a make or break situation for either squad. But let's face it, these teams don't like each other very much & neither wants to lose.


Baltimore won the 1st game earlier this season, but both teams teams were playing without 1 of it's biggest stars. Safety Ed Reed of the Ravens was still on the Physically Unable to Perform list & Steelers quarterback, Ben Roethlisberger was still serving a 4-game suspension (stemming from sexual assault allegations earlier in the year). Most fans, pundits & other talking heads are expected to turn their attention towards tonight's contest as it will go a long way towards assessing the future climate of the AFC playoff picture.

I'd love to attend a home playoff game in Charm City this post season & if the Ravens have any desire of doing the same, they'll need to take care of business early & often in the game. The last thing they'd want to see Big Ben late in the game, with the ball in his hands & with an opportunity to win it all. I know I definitely don't want to see that, so hopefully the sentiment is shared in the locker room as well.

Hoya Paranoia...

Last night the Georgetown Hoyas opened the 2010-11 season on the road, in a rather hostile environment vs the Old Dominion Monarchs with a 62-59 win. You've gotta give Coach Thompson credit for not being afraid to start the season against a very worthy adversary in such a feisty environment.

From the opening tip in Norfolk, it became clear that inside play of forwards Julian Vaughn (senior) & Hollis Thompson (sophomore) will be key once Big East play begins, otherwise there could be issues with the lack depth/experienced size in the low-post with the departure of Greg Monroe for the NBA. Both Vaughn & Thompson struggled from the field, so it'll be important to get the kiddies plenty of minutes before Big East play starts in December.

The Hoyas do however maintain a strong back-court with the return of senior guards Austin Freeman & Chris Wright. I think the play of junior guard Jason Clark will be critical to their success as well. The three played well, though Wright had a few 1st-game jitters as evidenced by a some shaky decision-making during Hoya fast breaks. But the Bowie, MD native came up huge down the stretch & looked very much like a senior, shooting 7-13 from the field, including 4-6 from 3-point land, finishing with 19 points to lead all scorers.

G'town got off to a fairly slow start and continued the poor shooting, for much of the 1st-half before a late run made it apparent that it would only a matter of time before they'd fully awake. Early foul trouble kept the Hoyas from opening the game up down the stretch, but solid guard-play secured the win. Sophomore guard Vee Sanford definitely needs more minutes as he looked like one of the most athletic players on last year's team, didn't see his at all last night.

Freshman forward Nate Lubick got plenty of minutes & looked good down-low in relief of Vaughn & Thompson. I'd also like to see more of center Henry Simms (junior) on the court with Vaughn a little more, that way size wouldn't be such an issue with the 3-guard lineup. Nonetheless, the Princeton offense seems to once again be affective in crossing defenses up & I look forward to the start of conference play...