Big Lead Sports Bar

12/04/2006

Monday Morning Wrapup

My head still hurts from trying to write something interesting about the Steeler game. As I write this, it's 2 AM and I'm just imagining how unproductive my Monday will be, despite all the work I have. The things I do for you guys. What a labor of love. On to the "other games" (that is to say, unworthy of a full writeup like the Steeler game):
Chargers 24, Bills 21- Ladainian Tomlinson racked up 192 yards of total offense and 2 more TDs as the MartyBallers move to 10-2. Good thing Eli Manning turned his back on them 2004...they are losers.
Bears 23, Vikings 13- Want to know the state of quarterbacks in the NFL? This game had appearances by four QBs: Brad Johnson, 73 yards...Brooks Bollinger, 70 yards...Tarvaris Jackson, 35 yards...Rex Grossman, 34 yards. Lovie Smith and Brad Childress---what offensive minds! Also of note: the Bears scored 23 points on just 107 yards total offense, conjuring up memories once again of Steelers-Raiders '06.
Browns 31, Chiefs 28- Trent Green throws four TDs, LJ runs for 110, and the Chiefs still lose to the Browns, who are quarterbacked by a guy named Derek Anderson. At first I thought this was the Derek Anderson that used to play in the NBA, but then I found out that he made $37 million in his career and probably didn't have to attempt a football career to make ends meet.
Jets 38, Packers 10- Imagine you're a Packers fan, you pay big bucks for seats to a home game, and then you lose to the Jets by 28. Do you ask for a refund from your scalper? Is there any sort of legal action you could take? But just think how bad this loss would've been if Favre didn't come back.
Titans 20, Colts 17- Yes, that was former Steeler training camp fodder Rob Bironas kicking a 60-yarder at the gun to beat Indy, while Jeff Reed shanked a 32-yarder on his home field. Also of note in this game: the arrival of full-fledged Vince Young Mania, to commence immediately.
Cardinals 34, Rams 20- The Rams are having an interesting season. They start 4-1, the follow that with a 1-6 run. And now, Marc Bulger is throwing his teammates under the ice cream truck, saying, "I know there's some guys in here who don't care". Marc, you're being too hard on those guys in singling them out. Because it's obvious there's also guys who don't care in Oakland, Arizona, Pittsburgh, Houston, the Giants...
Patriots 28, Lions 20- The Lions actually had the Patriots down after three quarters, then let them off the hook. The Lions threw the ball well, with Jon Kitna throwing for 314 yards. But is anyone else as intrigued as I am at the total disappearance of Lions WR Mike "Best Player in the Draft" Williams? One catch in 2006? That Matt Millen...what a GM.
Saints 34, 49ers 10- The "Bush-Gore" debate (Frank vs. Reggie) finally took shape on the field. Frank outran Reggie, 40-37, but Reggie reeled in 131 yards receiving and added 4 TDs to finally live up to the hype generated by all those Subway ads.
Falcons 24, Redskins 14- Future Steeler TJ Duckett Update: 4 carries, 9 yards. Can't wait to see him behind our line next year. On the Falcon side, Michael Vick had a total of 8 completions and 0 middle fingers.
Texans 23, Raiders 14- I guess someone had to win this game. But I'm amazed that it was Houston, when David Carr threw for a grand total of 32 yards. That would make two QBs this week (Carr and Grossman) throwing for less than 40 in a win.
Jaguars 24, Dolphins 10- Joey Harrington proves he only plays well when he's booed in Detroit, as the 5-7 Dolphins face a minor setback in their annual end-of-the-season surge under Nick Saban.
Cowboys 23, Giants 20- I didn't get to watch this game. I got to watch 4-7 vs. 3-8, also known as Pittsburgh vs. Tampa Bay, since it was moved to 4:15. Thanks, Fox.
Seahawks 23, Broncos 20- Jay Cutler makes an immediate impact, as he is the difference maker in this one. The difference being that if he didn't throw an interception returned for a TD, the Broncos would've won.
The BCS is announced- I love how not once the point was made about Louisville being left out of the national title. I guess a one-loss team from a major conference doesn't mean too much. And the voters agree, as the Cardinals are ranked behind a USC team that lost to two unranked teams. And a 2-loss LSU team. Frankly, I'm surprised they're even ranked above Notre Dame. I love college football.

20 comments:

Anonymous said...

College football is a joke. If a team such as Boise St. can go undefeated and never even be mentioned as a potential participant in the championship game, something is wrong.

DISCLAIMER: In no way am I saying that Boise St. is as good a team as Florida, Michigan, etc. I really don't pay enough attention to have any clue if they are. My point is this: If a team wins every game it plays and never has the chance to be the champion, why are they even in the same league?

Anonymous said...

Yes, Louisville loses to a ranked team on a last second field goal, and they get ranked behind a pair of two loss teams.

I'm not saying they deserved a shot at the national title. If Florida would have lost along with USC, that spot should have gone to Michigan. But I still think they're a top 5 team.

At least LSU's a two loss team from a good conference. USC's a two loss team, that lost to two not that great team's (BTW, I believe Oregon State actually checked into the rankings at 25 this week). Plus, the Pac-10's not exactly what we like to call a "very good conference".

Now, Louisville gets the ever so challenging Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl. If they INSIST on having mediocre Notre Dame teams in BCS bowls, why not put them against mediocre Wake Forest and let two good teams, LSU and Louisville, play each other?!

Either way, after Louisville whoops Wake, and Michigan whoops USC, Louisville will probably be in the top 5 in the end of the season rankings that no one cares about.

Just imagine this though, Louisville was one bad half against Rutgers away from probably playing Ohio State in January.

And as for Rutgers, one dropped 2 pt conversion moves them from a BCS bowl game, to the fucking Texas Bowl. That has to suck.

And I'd still rather watch the Steelers over a Crygirls v. Giants game.

Anonymous said...

This just in, Schiano is staying at Rutgers.

Adam said...

Big East Homers... Do you honestly think the Big East deserves not 1 but 2 teams in in the BCS? cmon now. The Big East was more like the Big 3. The Big 10 and Sec and Pac 10 have more quality teams than the Big East, hence the bowls being aligned the way they are. now of course, Notre dame got in there which is gay. i agree whole heartedly.

But as for being upset with the Lou-Wake matchup. Last year, no one thought the range Bowl would be any good, and it turned out to be the second best bowl of the year with the triple OT. You never know, Wake may suprise everyone and play the game of the their lives like FSU did last year against my dear old Lions. it may look ugly on paper, but ihink itll be a good game.

Sure college has its flaws, but jeez, give it a chance. No one wants to see a playoff more than me, PSU woulda had a shot at USC and texas last year if there was a playoff. but really, i mean we have 2 great teams in the title game, and a vintage rose bowl. quit complaining and just enjoy the games!

Anonymous said...

Oh, and Stanford fired Walt Harris.

Anonymous said...

I only feel they deserved one BCS team as well. I don't remember saying they deserved three.

But the BCS team they got deserved a lot more than the polls are showing right now.

Is USC really that much better than Louisville? Are they better at all?

Can people get past the played-out "Big Least" jokes for a second and realize that the "Big Least" was a better conference than the at least Pac-10 and ACC, and the only reason USC is getting such high rankings this year is because of what they did the 3 previous years?

Face facts, Louisville is in the Big East, and they're pretty fucking good. But they really don't stand much to gain for themselves or the conference by beating Wake Forest in the Orange Bowl.

Anonymous said...

Sorry, I meant deserved two, not three.

Adam said...

to the bird brains at the end of "Mondesi show". listen, that florida team was brewerless against FSU. dont forget that. take gray away from pitt and the auburn game is a loss. alrite geniuses?

As to PSU not being in the BCS. What the hell do you expect? The 2 teams from the big 10 that got the only available spots for the conference are #1 and #3 in the country and 23-1. cmon folks. dont even try to compare the big east and big 10, and especially dont try to compare pitt and penn state this season. if you think the panthers are anywhere near Penn state check into a mental institution, because there aree no legitimate comparisons.

Adam said...

to the bird brains at the end of "Mondesi show". listen, that florida team was brewerless against FSU. dont forget that. take gray away from pitt and the auburn game is a loss. alrite geniuses?

As to PSU not being in the BCS. What the hell do you expect? The 2 teams from the big 10 that got the only available spots for the conference are #1 and #3 in the country and 23-1. cmon folks. dont even try to compare the big east and big 10, and especially dont try to compare pitt and penn state this season. if you think the panthers are anywhere near Penn state check into a mental institution, because there aree no legitimate comparisons.

Anonymous said...

when you're old enough to go to a college you can tell me how to cheer for one.

Anonymous said...

Who the hell said Pitt was as good a football team as Penn State or that the Big East was as good of a football conference as the Big 10?

Look, I'm a Pitt fan, but unlike you I don't make ridiculous arguements to try and discredit the good things PSU does just because I hate them. If Pitt sucks, I'll tell you Pitt sucks. I'm a homer, but not a liar.

Pitt is a top 5 basketball team whether you want to just say it or not. Pretty much everyone BUT you feels that way. If Pitt was missing a starter they still would've beaten FSU, they're a deep team. You can say they're not and yack about Aaron Gray, but it's pretty much an indisputable fact man.

Florida has lost to two unranked teams. Florida is good, I know this, and Pitt belongs right there with them this year.

It's ok that you like Penn State and don't like Pitt... I'm fine with that. I have a sister that graduated from Penn State and she's the same way. But you ruin your credibility when your, what should be, should be fact-based opinions are twisted by the fact that you don't like Pitt.

Even my sister that despises Pitt admits that Pitt's basketball team is awesome. And I even, who desises PSU, admit that Penn State is a better football team than Pitt and play in a better football conference.

Adam said...

listen. Its not my PSU agenda that makes me feel the way i do about Pitt basketball. its my basketball sense. Pitt is a good team, but they arent an elite program until they beat an elite program outside the Big East. When they beat a carolina, a duke, a florida, an OSU, a MSU, etc., then ill start to believe in them. but what, ouside of the writers hype, makes an honest basketball fan think that these panthers are any more than a hyped up bunch of let downs like theyve been now for 5 years?

victories over UNONN nova cincy, etc. shouldnt satisfy Pitt fans at this point. i would want my team to play at least one other top 10 non conference opponent a year. even as a Penn State fan, I'd like to see Carolina or Duke come in here in a November shootout,wouldn't you? or pitt fans, are you satisfied beating teams any decent team could beat? thats the differance between elite and pretty damn good, which is all i think pitt is right now.

Anonymous said...

Duce Staley was finally let go. How will we ever win without him clapping on the sideline?

Sean said...

Adam, what are you talking about? Have you seen Pitt's non-conference schedule this year? They are playing a very difficult schedule which included a 20-point win over Florida State (who just beat Florida last night), at Auburn, at Wisconsin (ranked #11), at Oklahoma State (#22) and vs. Washington (#13). They have been criticized for playing weak non-conference schedules in the past, but you can't criticize them this year.

Plus you wrote, "take gray away from pitt and the auburn game is a loss." OK. Take LeBron away from Cleveland and they lose. Take McNabb away from Philly. Take Duce away from the Steelers...nevermind the last one.

Adam said...

ooo my....you completely missed both my points. when i spoke of gray, i was simply defending the gators and their loss of brewer. the same thing would likely have happened to pitt if the had hypotetically lost gray. thats all im saying. dont knock florida for losing that game at less than full strength,

as for their schedule, i know it is better than it has been in years past, but it lacks that one sexy showdown that other teams have. ill ask you again. Wouldnt you like to see carolin duke, florida, illinois, arizona, MSU, come into the Pete? would that not excite you more that beating the teams already on your schedule? wouldnt u like to see pitt at cameron indoor? i mean cmon, if pitt basketball is going to take the next step, even their present schedule shouldnt be enought for YOU the pitt fan. who knows how long this window for pitt will be open? wouldnt you rather compete against the best when you are at your best?

Sean said...

Having Duke or Carolina come to Pitt would be great. It's been a few years, but Carolina came to Pitt when Dante Calabria was there. However, it's not going to happen unless both sides want it. Look at Duke's non-conference schedule...they only play teams that can help them with recruiting (last year at Georgetown for DC area recruits; this year at St. John's - New York City). Of the other teams you mentioned (Florida, Illinois, Arizona, MSU), Wisconsin, Oklahoma State and Washington are in the same class.

Plus, Pitt deserves credit for scheduling quality mid-majors like Buffalo, Dayton and UMass this year.

As for Pitt's next step, they need to get past the Sweet 16.

Adam said...

how many national titles have they won?

Anonymous said...

"Adam, it's past your bedtime, I think you should go to bed. You have a chemistry quiz tomorrow, so you need your rest."

Can Raul ban Adam? Dude is a total asshat. Congratulations for being "that guy," you know, the one on every message board that everyone hates that makes absurd arguments. It's one thing to quote JoePa gospel, it's another thing to say that the consensus number 2 team in the nation isn't an elite program just because you hate that team.

Let's schedule a sexy team, that's a great idea. I guess Wisconsin, Ok State, Washington, etc. all suck because Adam doesn't think they're good enough. Or we could do like Adam and schedule MSU and Illinois, you know them, the unranked Big 10 teams that will be clobbering Penn State in a matter of time.

It's funny how much better Pitt's schedule is this year considering they dropped PSU so it wouldn't lower their RPI. Kudos to Jeff Long on that one.

I just have one quick question though. Do you get many nosebleeds from the elevation change from riding around on that high horse?

Adam said...

ok guys. I'm a basketball fan. the only reason you think my arguments are bad is because I'm a Penn State fan (which for the millionth time im leaving out of this basketball disussion). The guy who said duke would never schedule pitt made an excellent point. pittsburgh is a sucky city for recruiting. but im sure pitt could have gotten a game with MSU, arizona, illinois, all solid and more importantly PROVEN teams. Wisconsin...cmon. YOU should want better than that. listen all im saying is that right now, all pitt is is hype. Now if its march and they have 5-6 losses after going through that schedule, then ill be convinced, but not till then. I'm not trying to knock pitts schedule. its sufficient. but if i were a pitt fan and my team was preseason top 10, I'd be wondering why my team wasn't in a big tournament. I'd be wondering why i didn't have perenial powerhouse on my schdule, if not for anything else, entertainments sake. and of course, you near sighted pitt fans fail to realize is that beating an unranked illinois, MSU, and such garners more respect than freaking wisconsin. those 2 are proven programs despite what the rankings say. I will say washington is legite. the other 2, im not sure of.

my point is this. To be a great team, which is what pitt is, you compete year after year. to be an elite team, you play the best, and beat the best, year in and year out. it doesnt happen in an offseason. it happens by sustaining greatness. Pitt has not yet attained greatness (elite eight, final four). but hey, if pitt fans are satisfied with what they are getting, then who am i to argue. think what you want, but Pitt isnt there yet. and never once have i said they cant do it. i just said they havent done it yet.

answer my question pitt fans! what makes you so sure this team is any better then sweet 16? i wont cut you down senselessly, but i want to know what makes you so confident in this years team. and dont say rankings. they mean nothing in march.

Anonymous said...

Ever hear of depth and an All-American at center dip shit? Maybe that is why Pitt is so hyped.