2007 February - The Bottom Line : TheDestinLog.com

Archive for February, 2007

Super Bore

February 28th, 2007, 5:06 pm by jotto001

The Arizona Republic is quoting Variety as saying that the NFL has Bruce Springsteen and Norah Jones as the top of the league’s “wish list” to perform at half….zzzzz… I’m sorry.. to perform at halftime of the Super Bowl next year in Glendale, Ariz.

So let’s review.. Paul McCartney, The Rolling Stones and Prince. I think the NFL’s current strategy is to hire halftime performers who have the least probability of taking their clothes off.

Paul McCartney was OK but a little off key.. the Stones kind of sucked and Prince was pretty good in the rain, The Boss would be alright but does Norah Jones really get you fired up for the second half of the Super Bowl? I mean, really.

THIS IS THE SUPER BOWL. I want to be entertained, see a spectacle not feel like I’m standing in line at Starbucks.

Some people continue to watch the Super Bowl halftime show because, well, it’s the Super Bowl halftime show but I’m tired of the NFL being so safe after the Janet Jackson incident.

My message to the NFL: NO MORE CLASSIC ROCK!

Posted in: The NFL | Post a Comment »

Randy Moss to the Packers?

February 28th, 2007, 3:33 pm by jotto001

The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel is reporting that the Packers are supposedly interesting in acquiring temperamental Oakland Raiders wide receiver Randy Moss.

While it may be hard to believe that a man who once pretended to moon the crowd at Lambeau Field during the playoffs could really wear the green and gold, Green Bay is really tired of losing and they’d like to send Brett Favre out on a positive note.

I assumed that it would take a first round draft pick to move Moss from Oakland to Green Bay but according to an NFL personnel director, the chances of the Raiders actually getting a first round pick for Moss are next to none. A second round pick is more likely, according to the source.

While Moss’ track record in Oakland has been downright awful, he hasn’t exactly been playing with Peyton Manning. The past two seasons Moss has been playing with the likes of Kerry Collins and Aaron Brooks. And consider this, if the Raiders take a quarterback with the number one pick, say LSU’s JaMarcus Russell, do you really want Moss nurturing a young quarterback?

The Raiders would be smart to move him, the Packers would be smart to get him.

With Moss, the Packers inch closer to being a moderate threat to the Bears in the NFC Central. With Moss, Donald Driver and Greg Jennings, Brett Favre would have a lot of options in, what some would hope, will be his last season. If they take a defensive player with their first round pick or even a running back, Mel Kiper has them taking Cal running back Marshawn Lynch, the Packers could be a very interesting team in the fall.

While some Packer fans will see this for it is (their team trying to get Brett Favre to the playoffs one last time), I still think dealing for Moss will be a tough pill to swallow for some of Packer nation.

Posted in: Green Bay Packers • Oakland Raiders • Randy Moss • The NFL | Post a Comment »

As the Hog turns.. full chronology

February 27th, 2007, 4:40 pm by jotto001

Kudos to SI.com college football writer, Stewart Mandel for doing a very extensive job of cataloging the soap opera that has been Arkansas football this off-season. It’s as comprehensive an article as I’ve seen on the matter.

Here’s a link.

Posted in: Arkansas Razorbacks • Darren McFadden • SEC | Post a Comment »

Talking Heisman… in February

February 27th, 2007, 2:35 pm by jotto001

It’s never too early to talk college pigskin.

In reading Fox Sports’ Rich Cirminello’s Top 20 Heisman contenders this morning, it got me thinking about college football again and about who will be handed the Heisman in 2007.

While I think it’d be difficult to argue, though some may try, that the Heisman front-runner going into this season is anyone besides Arkansas running back Darren McFadden, where everyone else falls on that list of the nation’s elite is certainly up for debate.

Knowing that spring practice hasn’t even started for most teams and injuries and suspensions (SEE: Rhett Bomar) are sure to occur, there are a couple of Cirminello’s rankings that I took exception with.

Tim Tebow - #16 - I think this ranking is absolutely crazy. The media loves this kid and his story and playing in one of the nation’s most visible programs, the true sophomore from St. Augustine won’t be hurting for exposure anytime soon. Luckily for Tebow, he’s got one thing other quarterbacks don’t: Percy Harvin, one of the nation’s most electrifying play-makers. It’s put up or shut up time for Tebow. He’s going to have to start making plays with his arm and this season could be his breakout season and if it is, expect to see him as a finalist in New York City.
P.J. Hill - #13 - The running back from Wisconsin had a breakout year last year and proved he could be a difference maker. But I can’t help but wonder how effective Hill will be without John Stocco, which sounds crazy. The Ron Dayne run-a-like is not going to sneak up on anybody and without a proven signal caller, teams will be able to load the box and bring the safeties up to stop the run. Hill shouldn’t be ranked higher than Oregon’s Johnathan Stewart, VA Tech’s Brandon Ore or Georgia Tech’s Tashard Choice, all of whom had nice years last year as well.
Ian Johnson - #10 - I know everyone loved the Boise State story from last year but to suggest that Ian Johnson is the 10th best player in the country is nuts. And consider this: Weber State, Washington, Wyoming, Southern Miss, Bowling Green. Those are the Broncos non-conference opponents this year. Johnson will have to be a statistical monster to even get a look from Heisman voters. And playing in the weak WAC doesn’t help his case either.

Barring injury or getting paid for not working at a car dealership, the Heisman finalists will be Darren McFadden, John David Booty, Brian Brohm and either Colt McCoy or Brennan.

Posted in: Arkansas Razorbacks • Boise State • College Football • Darren McFadden • Heisman • SEC • Tim Tebow • Wisconsin Badgers | Post a Comment »

More on three strikes…

February 27th, 2007, 2:03 pm by jotto001

Here’s what sportswriters around the country are saying about the three strikes rule…

Nick Canepa from the San Diego Union-Tribune

Michael O’Keefe from the New York Daily News

Jamele Hill from ESPN.com

Jerome Solomon from the Houston Chronicle

And then there’s this interesting tidbit from Fox Sports blogger John Czarnecki.

“Fans may howl at this story, but marketing man Mike Ornstein warned Fisher about Pacman prior to the draft. Orny called him irresponsible. According to the story, Pacman was in New York City and Fisher wanted him to fly to Nashville prior to the draft. Well, he skipped his first flight. He was having too much fun in NYC. Ornstein, who was trying to sign Pacman to a Reebok deal, was told to get Pacman on the next plane out of LaGuardia. Well, Ornstein went through security with Pacman and escorted him to the departure gate. He watched Pacman get onto the plane.

However, the next phone call from Fisher said it all. Pacman didn’t arrive on his scheduled flight. Yes, he slipped back off the plane at LaGuardia when Ornstein turned his back. There was simply too much partying to do in Manhattan.”

The problem with this league is that there are always teams will to take a flier on a dude with “character issues” if he’s got game. The truth of the matter is that if Pac-Man Jones or Chris Henry were cut by their respective teams today, you can almost bet that there would be more than a couple teams willing to pick them up.

I’m not sure if or even when this rule will be adopted but it’s definitely a positive step toward improving the league’s image.. before it’s too late.

Posted in: Pac-Man Jones • The NFL | Post a Comment »

Three strikes…

February 26th, 2007, 10:09 pm by jotto001

The topic of the day on sports talk radio has been… well the Oscars inexplicably enough but it’s also been about the three strikes rule that was talked about this week between the NFL and the players union. Now what I think is important to keep in mind about this agreement was that while current players appear to be in favor of enacting such a policy, the input they gave was hardly unsolicited. Gene Upshaw and NFL Comish Roger Goddell decided to bring players into the discussion, which is a great move.

The truth of the matter is that this policy is absolutely necessary. The NFL hardly wants to have the image problem that the NBA currently has. But the real question remains: Who should the rule be named after? Should it be the Pac-Man Jones rule? The Tank Johnson rule? The Chris Henry rule? Take your pick, they’re all dirtbags and in Johnson and Jones’ case, certifiable menaces to society.

But what qualifies as a strike? Quite simply an arrest. Because anyone with money can get out of a conviction. If a player is out at a club and runs into a cop with a chip on his shoulder, that’s still only one strike. There’s no way someone who is completely innocent is going to get arrested three times.

The NFL needs to take very firm, very public measures to insure the NFL doesn’t become the NBA in the eyes of the public. And this is definitely one way to stop that.

Posted in: The NFL | Post a Comment »

Coughlin fires back at Tiki

February 23rd, 2007, 6:56 pm by jotto001

In a story in the Baltimore Sun, embattled Giants coach Tom Coughlin addresses comments made by ex-Giants running back Tiki Barber, comments that were blogged about on the Bottom Line.

What I ultimately found the most ridiculous about Barber’s comment (which he made at a press conference designated to announce his employment at NBC) is that Barber had the gall to blast Coughlin despite the fact that Barber had his best years under Coughlin.

I questioned then and question now Barber’s heart and his class. I do not think Coughlin is a particularly good coach.. at all, actually. I think for a coach that is supposed to be a disciplinarian the Giants have continued to play pretty undisciplined football. But I think Barber’s continued whining about Coughin’s coaching technique and rigorous practice schedule makes him look soft.

The Sun is quoting Coughlin as saying:

“I do not know what this is all about,” Coughlin added about Barber’s criticisms. “I was under the impression that he had a press conference to announce his new role with NBC and then to find out that he would turn around and talk about something like this … and to give the illusion that I had something to do with his retirement, I don’t follow that … that bothers me.”

And Coughlin’s right. I think everyone found it bizarre that Barber used the opportunity of the NBC press conference to blast Coughlin one last time.

The Giants will miss Barber’s production but not his ego and especially not his mouth.

A link to the Baltimore Sun article.

Posted in: New York Giants • The NFL • Tom Coughlin | Post a Comment »

Fuzzy mad about his Wiki

February 22nd, 2007, 5:02 pm by jotto001

The Miami Herald is reporting today that golfer Fuzzy Zoeller is steaming mad over his W entry. But the 1979 Masters Champion isn’t suing the on-line encyclopedia. He’s suing a Miami firm that he says posted defamatory statements about him. Though it didn’t clearly state it, I’m assuming the statements were in reference to Zoeller’s comments about Tiger Woods. I won’t post those comments here as it appears there’s a fair chance Zoeller will sue my employer.

According to the article, Zoeller is suing under the name “John Doe” to protect his privacy (how’d that work out?). The firm apparently evaluates the educational credentials of foreign nationals for clients such as the state of Florida. The firm’s president, Josef Silny, clearly the feels the way we all do about this particular case.

”I think it’s the most bizarre thing that’s ever happened in my life,” said Silny.

Here’s a link to the Miami Herald article.

Posted in: Golf • Wikipedia | Post a Comment »

The Bottom Line’s take on….

February 21st, 2007, 9:17 pm by jotto001

The XM Sirius Merger

Having had Sirius for two years and now a recent XM subscriber (it came installed in my car), I think the benefits of satellite radio from the perspective of a sports fan is unquestionable but each service certainly has its respective benefits.

XM has tons of college basketball and football, namely the Big Ten, NHL and Major League Baseball. XM also has Fox Sports Radio, which I enjoy when ESPN Radio goes to commercial break and will soon have the return of Tony Kornheiser.

Sirius’ upsides? The NFL, ’nuff said. NFL Radio is great for those diehard fans who want to talk about “next year” for their team, the minute the season ends. And of course, they have play-by-play of every game with every set of broadcasters. Sirius also has a deal with the NCAA to broadcast the NCAA Tournament.

One or both of these services has a deal with NASCAR but who cares?

The ideal situation for consumers would be for the two services to combine into one and offer us all the sports radio we could ever possibly ask for.

But since news of this deal broke, I’ve been asking myself one question: Is this a good thing for consumers? And I don’t think it is. A combined XM/Sirius would definitely look an awful lot like a monopoly and such a merger would certainly result in higher prices, even if the two services remain separate. Ultimately, I think in the best interest of the consumer, the FCC will have no choice but to reject this deal.

Sometimes if it seems too good to be true.. it probably is..

For more information on the merger, here’s a basic AP story on the deal.

Posted in: Sirius Radio • XM Radio | Post a Comment »

Dallas Clark ejected from high school game…

February 20th, 2007, 7:33 pm by jotto001

In a story that sounded way cooler than it actually was, the Indianapolis Star is reporting that Colts Tight End Dallas Clark was ejected from a girls’ high school basketball game in his native Iowa last night. The game in question was a playoff game between Clark’s alma mater Twin River and host school Southeast Webster-Grand.

According to the Star, Clark was supposedly ejected for comments he made to an official. The Star quoted the Principal of Southeast Webster-Grand as saying:

“(Clark) said something like, ‘Your partners stink,’ so Mr. Collison said, ‘I want him out of here,’” Grandfield said. “Nobody even noticed. He was sitting by the gym door.”

I guess Dallas Clark gets really into girl’s high school basketball but in all fairness…. it was the playoffs.

Here’s a link to the Indy Star article.

Posted in: Indianapolis Colts • The NFL | Post a Comment »