Suisham, Landry Key Players In Loss Against Saints

I have never watched a more dramatic game of football in my entire life. The Saints, with their perfect 11-0 record, played the Redskins today at home, in a game that almost made me cry. Honestly. It's so depressing that I'm having a hard time writing about it. But I shall try my best...

Everyone knows how bad the Redskins are and expected them to lose. Which they did. Anyways, the Redskins had a chance to make football history and they blew it in the 4th quarter, which I will now call the 4th quarter curse. The Redskins have had the lead numerous times in the game, but when it comes to the 4th quarter they always manage to blow it.

The Redskins were up 30-23 in the fourth quarter. It was 4th down, and the Redskins brought out the field goal unit. Shaun Suisham previous missed several field goals against Dallas. However, this field goal was only 23 yards, and would ensure a Redskins victory. Suisham’s kick was wide right, and reality sunk in. There was 1:52 left on the clock, which gave the Saints enough time to tie the game. LaRon Landry had been covering Robert Meachem, who was wide open and able to score the touchdown that tied the game.

The game then went into overtime. The Redskins won the coin toss and chose to receive. Mike Sellers fumbled the ball, which took several replays to determine, and it was recovered by the Saints on the Redskins 37-yard line. The Saints were able to run the ball to the 1-yard line, and an 18-yard field goal won the game for the Saints, 33-30.

Although I am extremely bitter and disappointed over this game, it’s nice to know that we rocked the Saints, and made it extremely difficult for them to win. The Redskins played undoubtedly the best game of the season, even with several players on the IR. However, an 11-1 Saints is something that Redskins fan would’ve cherished forever.

Redskins vs. Saints- Pregame

As if their Redskins awful enough, the worst is yet to come. Tomorrow, the Redskins will play the Saints at home at 1:00pm. The Saints are 11-0. The Redskins are 3-8, but as inconsistent as they are, who knows what will happen. Logically, I’m thinking the Saints will win 42-14.

The Redskins will be missing key players, including Clinton Portis (concussion) and DeAngelo Hall (knee injury). Several players are unlikely to play, including Albert Haynesworth (ankle injury), Justin Tryon (hip injury) and Mike Sellers is a possibility (ankle injury).

Like I tell myself every weekend, if the Redskins could just win this game, I will never doubt them again. They did come up pretty close against the Eagles, and beat the Broncos, so anything is possible. We’ll just have to wait and see.

Serena Williams Receives Fine

After a vulgar-outburst at the U.S. Open in September, Serena Williams faces an $82,500 fine which she received earlier this week. Her outburst was broadcast on national television, so it wasn’t something that could be brushed under the rug. If she violates any more rules in the next two years, she could risk up suspension. It took almost three months to decide on the punishment.

This whole dramatic event occurred after a line judge called a penalty on something Williams felt she did not commit. She cursed and threatened the judge, which is extremely immature for the number one tennis player in the United States.

I’m not sure how the fine was determined, but I think it would be a lot less severe if it wasn’t publicly broadcast. Hopefully Williams will learn her (very expensive) lesson.

Eli Manning Possible Stress Fracture

Due to an injury Eli Manning sustained earlier in the season, it’s now noted that he has a possible stress fracture in his right foot. Obviously, this could lead to serious problems for the New York Giants if their quarterback needs to sit out the rest of the season. It hasn’t happened yet, but there’s a stress reaction in his foot, which could lead to a stress fracture and put him on the IR.

Hopefully he is able to keep going without creating more problems for himself. With only a few weeks left in the season, the Giants are doing everything they can to avoid further injury.

Alex Ovechkin Faces Two Game Suspension

Alex Ovechkin of the Washington Capitals, has received a lot of negative attention lately. People think that he plays too recklessly, and has been injured several times a result. Last night, Ovechkin had a knee-to-knee hit against Carolina’s Tim Gleason, which has resulted in a two game suspension.

Ovechkin is one of the top players in the NHL, and has been on the NHL First All-Star Team for the past four years. His suspension comes as a shock to some people, who feel the punishment is uncalled for. Others think it’s not strict enough.

Ovechkin had just returned to the game after an upper body strain kept him out for several weeks, and the injury received last night could hinder his performance.

Concussions Keep Players Sidelined

One thing I’ve noticed happening a lot lately is players that keep getting concussions. Every game, it seems as though at least one player is carted off the field with a head injury, and out for the rest of the season. The NFL is creating new guidelines with regards to concussions, including taking players off the field that receive head injuries.

If a player is unconscious at any point in the game, they are forced to be removed and are not allowed to return. However, the new guidelines state that if a player shows any signs of head trauma, memory loss, dizzinesss, etc., they are to be removed from the game as well. There are other guidelines to be included, but they have not been voted on yet so they are not official.

Recent players who have received concussions and are prohibited from playing include Brian Westbrook, Clinton Portis, Kurt Warner and Ben Roethlisberger.

Redskins Fall to the Eagles

It was like Christmas morning waking up and turning on the Redskins game. It was about 1:07pm, and the Skins were up 7-3 against the Eagles in Philly. They scored on the opening drive, and it seemed too good to be true. Obviously, it was.

The Redskins’ performance was particularly impressive due to the fact that Albert Haynesworth, DeAngelo Hall, Clinton Portis and Chris Cooley were out with injuries.

The Skins led the Eagles 24-16 in the third quarter, successfully converting 8 out of 13 third downs. But for some reason, they also seem to fall apart in the fourth quarter.

The Eagles were then able to score 11 points, including a touchdown, then a two point conversion. They won the game with a field goal, beating the Skins 27-24.

The Skins will play the undefeated Saints next week at 1 pm.

NFL Lets One Slip

One of the problems with sports today is that it’s live, which leaves very little room for error. No editing, no redos, no anything. Fans tend to get a little excited and shout things that can be heard on camera. For example, during an O’s game, Luke Scott was up at bat and a fan yelled “Luuuuke, I am your father!” I got a good chuckle out of it, but it clearly isn’t something that was meant to be aired.

On Thanksgiving, the Broncos played the Giants, and Broncos coach Josh McDaniels was heard shouting something explicit and it was broadcasted. McDaniels issued an apology, but I can’t say I blame him. I know this wasn’t on purpose, and it was not his intention to have this broadcast, and the network did not notice it in time to bleep it out.

Hopefully he can keep his cool in the future to avoid this from happening again. The Broncos won 26-6.

Tiger Woods Hits a Tree (How Ironic)

By now most people have heard of Tiger Woods’ late night excursion at 2:30am, resulting in a car accident with not only a fire hydrant, but a tree as well. Lucky for Woods, this all took place outside his house. His wife, who also managed to be awake as this ungodly hour frantically ran out of the house and smash his window with, of course, a golf club.

Officials say there was no alcohol involved, so what the heck actually happened? My only guess could be that he and his wife got into an argument, he fled the house, and forgot that the hydrant was hanging out on the sidewalk.

Instead of just make up a lie, like he wanted to go Black Friday shopping, or that he was going on a beer run, Woods decided to draw even more attention to himself by telling everyone that it was all his fault and he’s only human. Oh Tiger, I completely agree, so please don’t disappoint us.

D.C. Mourns the Loss of Abe Pollin

Abe Pollin, owner of the Wizards and previously the Washington Capitals (whom he sold to Ted Leonsis), died on November 24th from a neurological disease. Pollin is attributed with transforming sports in the D.C. area to what we know it today. He spent over $220 million to create what is now known as the Verizon Center, and brought professional hockey and basketball players to the area.

Not only did he accomplish all this, he also built housing developments and was extremely charitable throughout his lifetime. Pollin’s death truly is a loss not only to the D.C. area, but to sports teams nation wide.

Albert Pujols NL MVP

Albert Pujols received his third MVP award, and his second consecutive. He won unanimously, by all 32 voters. Pujols plays first base for the St. Louis Cardinals, and had a batting average of .334. He also led the NL with the most home runs, 47.

He was also the leader in runs scored (124), slugging percentage (.658), intentional walks (44) and had an on base percentage was .443. Pujols had surgery in October to remove a bone spur and bone chips from his right elbow. There was a chance he would require ligament replacement surgey, which would’ve kept him out for half of the season, but it no longer looks necessary.

Along with winning this award, he will receive a $200,000 bonus, $16 million for next season, and a possibility for 2011.

Dan Snyder (Still) Sucks

With every expressing their dislike and disappointment for Redskins own Dan Snyder for the past couple of months, you’d think he would’ve gotten the hint by now. But no, of course not. The only changes he’s made recently were to remove head coach Jim Zorn’s play calling responsibility. Which seems pretty silly if you ask me; all Zorn does now is stand on the sideline and call timeouts.

However, now Snyder is making remarks regarding the Redskins, about how disappointed he is, but he has yet to make any changes. And chances are we won’t see any anytime soon. The Redskins will continue to lose, and fans will continue to be disappointed.

Northeastern Calls It Quits With Football

After playing 74 years of football, Northeastern decided they’re going to cancel their football program, which would require millions of dollars to bring it up to where it needs to be. The decision appears to be mainly financial; the football team lost six straight seasons and has low attendance, so there’s no point in wasting money on a sport with no profit.

There are 87 players on the team, along with 10 coaches. The problem now lies with the players, who decided to go to college based on football. The school has said that those with scholarships will be able to keep them, and those wishing to transfer and play college football somewhere else will be given as much help as necessary.

Redskins Go Down Fighting Against Cowboys

Anyone who’s anyone knows that the Redskins and the Cowboys have one of the biggest rivalries of all time. Today’s game was unusually intense, and as usual, ended in disappointment. However, the Redskins didn’t go down easy, and made it a challenge for the Cowboys.
One of the main problems during the game was kicker Shaun Suisham’s consistency. Suisham, who hadn’t missed a field goal yet this season, missed two out of four attempts. If Suisham had been able to score at least one more field goal, the Redskins would’ve won the game.

A mere three points can separate the winners from the losers. Suisham should start practicing now, seeing as the Ravens just fired their kicker, Steven Hauschka. The Redskins will take on the Eagles next Sunday at 1pm.

Supreme Court Refuses “Redskins” Case

A group of Native Americans challenging the team name of the Washington Redskins, which they feel perpetuates offensive stereotypes, have brought their case to the Supreme Court. This group had brought the case to court previously, and has been trying to get the name changed for over 40 years.

The Supreme Court has decided not to hear the case, because they waited too long to challenge the name. The Redskins were first introduced in 1967, but the Native Americans did not file a lawsuit until 1992. If the Redskins would be require to change their name, they would lose millions of dollars in advertising and promotions.

Redskins Allow Signs Back In

As you all know, Dan Snyder temporarily banned signs from FedEx Field. Anyone caught with a sign was force to discard it or be removed from the stadium, and chances of their season tickets being revoked. No other team had a rule such as this, so it’s likely that Snyder was doing this to prevent “Dan Snyder Sucks” signs from being brought it. Attendance declined and boycotts were imposed, and Snyder recently reversed the ban.
Snyder issued a statement, saying fans were allowed to bring signs as long as they were tasteful and did not block anyone’s view. Bring on the creativity.

Maurice Jones-Drew Takes a Knee

Maurice Jones Drew of the Jacksonville Jaguars had a tough decision to make during Sunday’s game against the New York Jets. There were less than two minutes left on the clock and Jones-Drew could’ve easily scored a touchdown with no problem. However, he decided to take a knee on the 1-yard line in order to run time off the clock. If he hadn’t, the Jets would’ve gotten the ball back with plenty of time to score a touchdown and tie the game.

Unfortunately for Fantasy Football fans who had JD on their team, they missed out on the points they would’ve received if he scored a touchdown. But no one could blame him… he did what’s best for the team.

Michael Phelps Can't Get It Together

Michael Phelps competed in the World Cup meets in Berlin this past weekend and had seriously trouble. The 8-time Olympic gold medalist wasn’t used to his bathing suit because his favored swim trunks will soon be banned from competition. The suit Phelps previously wore, known as a “high-performance” suit, will be banned on January 1st.

Phelps left the two-day competition without any records or wins. But Phelps isn’t too worried; while he’d prefer a win, he feels that swimming in the old suit will give him an advantage once the rest of the swimmers return to it. It’ll take more than a swimsuit to get him back on the fast track.

REDSKINS WIN!

The Redskins had arguably the best game of the season on Sunday. It was the first game the Redskins have won with over 20 points.

They played without Chris Cooley (broken ankle), Chris Samuel (neck injury) or Clinton Portis (concussion). Ladell Betts started for the first time since 2006, in place of Portis. Surprisingly, the Redskins did just fine without them.

The Broncos started off their season winning their first 6 games. Their last 3 games, against the Ravens, the Steelers and the Redskins, have all resulted in a loss coming off of their bye week. The Redskins lost their last 4 games, against the Falcons, Eagles, Chiefs and Panthers. Their record coming into this game was 2-6.

Unfortunately, being a Redskins fan in Ravens’ Town is pretty difficult at times. I missed all of the excitement because it’s nearly impossible to watch a game unless you head out to a restaurant or bar and sit there for hours. I had to watch the game simulation online. SO LAME.

Luckily, the two most exciting plays have been replayed frequently on Sports Center. After a fake field goal attempt, punter Hunter Smith completed his first touchdown pass, 35-yards to Mike Sellers. Later, Betts scored a 1-yard touchdown in the 4th quarter with little time left on the clock. The Redskins won 27-17.

Next up the Skins will take on the Cowgirls...I mean, Cowboys. Go Skins!

When Will Ochocinco Learn?

I’m not really sure how it’s possible, but Chad Ochocinco always seems to be involved in some sort of controversy. To be honest, I’m not sure I even knew who he was before his name change last year (sorry guys, I’m pretty lame).
However, once again Ochocinco is in trouble with the NFL. During the Bengals-Ravens game, Ochocinco borrowed a $1 bill from the CBS crew, and attempted to “bribe” the officials during a replay challenge.

Ochocinco’s $1 bill cost him $20,000. I’m not really sure where these numbers come from, but apparently that’s the charge when you attempt to “bribe” the referees. I mean, really, if he was seriously trying to bribe someone, don’t you think he’d use something a tad bit bigger? Like maybe in the thousands?

Everyone knows Ochocinco is a clown, the NFL should just charge him $50,000 a year and let him do whatever he wants… since he’s going to anyways.

As always, you can watch it here.

Adam Jones Wins Golden Glove Award

Adam Jones, center fielder for the Baltimore Orioles, is the first outfield Oriole to receive the Golden Glove Award since 1975. The last time the O’s won a Golden Glove was 10 years ago, in 1999, received by pitcher Mike Mussina, and in 1998, received by Roberto Alomar and Rafael Palmeiro.

Although Jones had been hoping to win the award for several years, he was still surprised that he won, comparing himself to teammates such as Nick Markakis. Jones, who is only 24 years old, has only played two full seasons as an Oriole. Unfortunately, Jones had to end his season earlier this past year due to a sprained ankle, and was out for the season starting September 1st.

Among the 2009 Golden Glove recipients are: Mark Buehrle, Joe Mauer, Mark Teixeira, Placido Polanco, Evan Longoria, Derek Jeter, Adam Jones, Ichiro Suzuki and Torii Hunter.

Other Oriole recipients include: Roberto Alomar, Luis Aparicio, Mark Belanger, Paul Blair, Bobby Grich, Davey Johnson, Eddie Murray, Mike Mussina, Rafael Palmeiro, Jim Palmer, Cal Ripken Jr., and Brooks Robinson, who received the award 16 consecutive years.

Larry Johnson Can Rest a Little Easier

Larry Johnson, aka the guy who bad-mouthed his team and coach and didn’t think anything would happen, has been released from the Kansas City Chiefs. The running back’s father played for the Redskins, who were considering signing him.

However, Johnson won’t be making his way to the Nation’s Capital anytime soon. Although Dan Snyder likes to blow tons of money on overrated football players, and Clinton Portis recently received a concussion, there is not a chance that Johnson will play for the Skins.

Johnson was released from the Chiefs on Monday, and is still homeless as of yet.

"If anybody likes losing, they shouldn't be playing this game," Johnson said to Sports Illustrated. "It left a bad taste in my mouth every game we were losing... You just felt like you were useless. ... If I was frustrated and upset, it was mainly for myself."

Oh my goodness. Why on Earth would anyone in their right mind think that Johnson had a place on the Skins?! The Chiefs have only a slightly worse record (1-7) than the Skins (2-6).

If for some reason there’s a change of heart, I hope for Johnson’s sake he deletes his Twitter and stays away from the “Dan Snyder Sucks” t-shirts, because who knows what he’s capable of.

Michael Vick Keeps His Cash

Michael Vick, of the Philadelphia Eagles, is probably more well known for his dog fighting incidents than his football. After being convicted of the charges, he was sentenced to 18 months in jail. Vick, who was with the Atlanta Falcons at the time, was offered a large bonus prior to his conviction, and the NFL was questioning whether or not Vick should be allowed to keep it.

After going to court, a judge ruled in Vick’s favor, and felt that he should be allowed to keep the bonuses because they were received before he was convicted of the dog fighting charges. The NFL did not agree with the ruling, and would like to get a different judge look at this case. However, the NFL is incorrect in this matter, and the ruling still stands, regardless of what the NFL thinks.

Former Falcon Fight During Skins Game

DeAngelo Hall, current Redskins cornerback, played for the Atlanta Falcons for his first four seasons. Hall left the Falcons on bad terms, due to issues with head coach Mike Smith and GM Thomas Dimitroff. The Redskins played the Falcons in Atlanta earlier today. Not surprising, a scuffle broke out during the game on the sideline and Hall was in the middle of it.

It all started when Falcons QB Matt Ryan was hit out of bounds. Chaos ensued, and Hall claims that coaching staff threw a few punches as well. The Redskins were charged with a 15-yard penalty for the incident. It’s a matter of he-said-he-said so it all depends on who the NFL will decide is responsible.

Yankees Win World Series

Watching the last inning of the Yankees-Phillies was terribly painful. For one, it was an hour or two before my birthday and I had more important things on my mind. Secondly, I couldn’t care less about either team competing. It’s either the O’s or nothing (and I think it will always be nothing, sadly). The Yankees have their $1.5 million ballpark and the Phillies won last year.

But even the reigning champions couldn’t pull it together to prevent the Yankees from the 27th title. With each Phillies’ out, I felt like I was closer and closer to the end of the world, it was just a matter of time. Time moved so slowly. Strike, ball, foul ball, ball, strike, foul ball, foul ball… You get the idea. The game finally ended with the Yankees winning 7-3 at home.

Instant Replay in MLB

Baseball, America’s favorite pasttime, has become a little more complicated over the years. Not only are their controversies over performance-enhancers and bad ownership, but now there’s the problem with the lack of instant replay. But umpires seem to be getting worse and worse, and there’s something that needs to be done. If I can disagree with a call while sitting in the nosebleed section on $6 student night, why can’t they see what’s going on right in front of their faces?

Sure, there’s the occasional miscalled ball or strike, but the real problem is what’s happening on the field. Sometimes there are calls that are too close to tell, and given the numerous camera angles at the game, there should be someone who is able to review them in these instances.

There have been several instances during the World Series that required a review of the play. I understand that the need for replays could get complicated, and could lead to a disagreement among referees (whether it’s happening too much, not enough, etc.), but maybe it could be enforced only during World Series games to start, and when deemed extremely necessary.

I understand the need of wanting to keep baseball the way it is and not complicate it, but I think there should be changes, especially when considered necessary.

Michael Jordan Up in Smoke

Ever since Michael Jordan gave up his basketball and acting career, he’s been spending much of his time on the golf course. While he has been playing golf, he was nominated as an honorary assistant captain at the President’s Cup.

Days prior to the Cup, Jordan was practicing at Harding Park, and was caught smoking a cigar. However, smoking is prohibited at Harding Park, and the Recreation and Park general manager had to remind Jordan of the rules.

Of course it’s possible that Jordan didn’t realize it and it was just a mistake, but I would think that an athlete who’s been around forever would know better than that. Jordan was seen later in the week with an unlit cigar in his mouth.

Hopefully he’ll realize how ridiculous he looks and stop altogether.

Andre Agassi Comes Clean

Andre Agassi’s Open- An Autobiography revealed more information than fans were ready to hear. Agassi is a professional tennis player, and has won eight Grand Slam tournaments and an Olympic gold medal. He also was a frequent crystal meth user in 1997.

For much of his life he hated tennis, and his father, and that’s what led him to drugs. Practicing four to five hours a day before you’re six years old was one of the many things his father had him to in order to perfect his game.

Agassi failed a drug test, but claimed it was a spiked drink from his manager. He was given a second chance by tennis authorities. Unfortunately, he was given that chance based on a lie.

Many people are now saying that Agassi’s titles should be removed because of his drug use. While I’m not sure I agree with this, I will find it very hard to think of him in the same light again.

Signs Banned at FedEx Field

Unhappy Redskins fans have been voicing their opinions lately, through petitions, boycotts and portraying signs at the games. The signs included attacks on owner Dan Snyder, Vinny Cerrato and Coach Jim Zorn. Any security guard deeming a sign or article of clothing inappropriate are now telling attendants to get rid of it (or turn it inside out) or get out.

Fans who refuse to comply will be escorted out of the stadium, their information was taken, and they could risk losing their season ticket privleges. This makes absolutely no sense. The people that are paying money to support the team and put money in Danny’s pockets should be able to have a say in how their money is spent. There are a lot of problems involving the Redskins, and Dan should focus on more important things than t-shirts and poster board.

The NFL does not have a policy regarding signs brought to games. The only thing they do not allow are inappropriate signs, or signs that obstruct someone’s view. This is the first time that anyone has ever heard of an organization banning signs.

Below are examples of confiscated signs, thanks to DC Sports Bog.

Mark Sanchez Hot Dog Overkill

The New York Jets were up 38-0 against the Oakland Raiders, and quarterback Mark Sanchez had been sick all week and not able to eat. He sat on the bench, pulled his hat down low over his eyes, and discretely ate a hot dog with mustard because he was beginning to feel ill. Unfortunately for him, the camera crews caught him “yellow handed” and broadcast his ordeal on television.

Sanchez felt incredibly guilty about it (though I’m not sure why) and bought 500 hamburgers and 500 hot dogs, and all the accessories, and donated them to a soup kitchen.
I understand that people are disappointed that the Jets won and the focus is on Sanchez’s hot dog, but I think there are much more important things to be worrying about. If Sanchez had gotten sick and passed out from a lack of food, the results would’ve been much more serious.

Besides, hot dogs are delicious, so who could blame him?

Chris Cooley Broken Ankle; Out for Majority of Season

Chris Cooley walked onto the field on Monday’s game and the first thing everyone noticed was his crazy blonde hair. That wasn’t the only thing that attracted attention to him. During the Redskins-Eagles game, the Skins’ tight end broke his right ankle. The damage is so severe that he could be out for the rest of the season.

Not long into the second quarter, Cooley couldn’t make up his mind whether to go right or left. His indecisiveness led to a broken ankle. He was able to complete two passes before limping off the field to get checked out.

Prior to his injury, Cooley had caught 27 catches for 311 yards, and scored two touchdowns (which doesn’t seem like a lot, but given the Redskins’ record…). Cooley has never missed a game since he started playing in 2004, so let’s hope the Redskins will be okay without him… for now.

The Skins lost the game 27-17.

Chiefs’ Johnson Bashes Coach on Twitter

Larry Johnson, running back for the Kansas City Chiefs, has been talking a lot of trash via Twitter lately. Unfortunately, his trash talking is directed at his coach, and many people have found out about it.

He’s also been using offensive language, and refuses to speak with reporters. The hostility seemed to have started from the loss against the Chiefs’.

The Tweets directed at his coach were statements like “ ‘My father got more creditentials than most of these pro coaches… My father played for the coach from "rememeber the titans". Our coach played golf. My father played for redskins briefley. Our coach. Nuthn.’”

Chiefs’ coach Todd Haley did not play football in high school or college; he received a golf scholarship for school. He was the Cardinals’ offensive coordinator last year during their Super Bowl run.

Johnson has had numerous problems with following rules, and has been suspended from games, as well as charged with two counts of disturbing the peace.

Another Tweet reads, "Make me regret it. Lmao. U don't stop my checks. Lmao. So 'tweet' away." Let’s hope someone puts him in his place.

Chris Samuels Possible Retirement

Several sources have announced today that due to a neck injury, left tackle Chris Samuels will be placed on injured reserve list for the rest of the season to avoid further injury.

The decision to retire will not be announced to December or January. His injury occurred several weeks ago during the Panthers game, and it appears that he also has a condition called “stenosis”, which causes narrowing of the spine.

Samuels is a 6-time Pro Bowler and until the 2009 season, had only missed 8 games since he was drafted in 2000. He will not make any decisions about retiring until the end of the season.

Phillies Head to the World Series

For the second year in a row, the Phillies are headed to the World Series. Great. A team that I couldn’t be more happy about. The only way this World Series could get better is if they played the New York Yankees (hopefully by now you’ve noticed the sarcasm). The Yankees need one more win against the Angels to advance to the World Series.

The Phillies offense was impressive; Jayson Werth hit two homeruns during the game, and Shane Victorino hit a two-run homerun in the sixth inning.

Unfortunately, the Dodgers need more help in the bull pen. Vincente Padilla, Dodgers’ pitcher, was replaced halfway through the game with pitcher Ramon Troncoso.

If the Yankees do in fact make it to the World Series, I’m sure I won’t be watching any of it. I love baseball, but I do not love the Yankees… Or the Phillies.

Steve Phillips Suspended

Steve Phillips, an ESPN analyst, has been caught in an affair with a much younger production assistant; only a few years after admitting to an extramarital affair that ended his stint as the Mets general manager. Phillips is currently married, and his wife is informed of the affair.

Phillips’ mistress, Brooke Hundley, has made numerous attempts to contact Phillips at his home and through his children.

Phillips is has been suspended for one week due to his recent actions. His wife is also filing for divorce.

I think it was a good decision for ESPN to suspend Phillips’, because his actions were inappropriate and it’s bringing a bad name to the station. I would not blame them if they fired him, because he acted extremely irresponsibly, and should’ve thought about his reputation before engaging in such activities.

Ew. Gross.

O's Rebuilding for 2010

When the Orioles closed out their season with a record of 64-98, people knew we were in trouble. A 13-game losing streak and the third worst record in the team’s history is not something to be proud of. [In 1988, the O’s finished 54-107 and in 1954, the first season in Baltimore, they were 54-100]. However, the O’s are working towards a better team in 2010. They’ve been slowly rebuilding their roster this past season; over 11 players are under the age of 25, and only three are over the age of 30. Many of these rookies are off to a great start.

Nolan Reimold, only 26 years old, was called up in May 2009. He impressed many around the league with his .279 batting average and 15 home runs as a rookie. He provided a solid defensive presence in left field as well a fairly consistent bat in the Orioles lineup, until he was placed on the disabled list on September 18th for an Achilles tendon injury. Without Reimold, the O’s were unable to secure a win until October 1st, which ended their 13-game losing streak.

Matt Wieters, only 22 years old, was called up at the end of May as catcher. He replaced Gregg Zaun, who was traded to Tampa Bay. Wieters was having a hard time living up to everyone’s expectations, having batted .345 in the Minors. Although he started off slowly, he ended the season with a .288 batting average and 9 home runs.

Brian Matusz, a 22-year-old rookie pitcher, was called up in August. His 2009 record was a 4.63 ERA and a .292 batting average. Although this young player had shown a lot of potential in a short time, the O’s decided to take him out of the line up September 14th in order to keep his arm safe so he can come back strong next season.

Chris Tillman, a 21-year-old rookie pitcher from California, made his major league debut on September 11th at Yankee Stadium. He has a 5.40 ERA for the 12 starts and 65 innings he pitched. However, he was taken out of the lineup at the end of September for the rest of the season to protect his arm as well.

Brad Bergesen, a 24-year-old rookie pitcher for Baltimore, had a 3.34 ERA in his 19 starts for the O’s. Unfortunately, a bruised shin on July 30th kept him out of the game for the rest of the season.

Center fielder Adam Jones ended his season due to a sprained ankle on September 1st. He has also suffered from a broken bone in his foot, and problems with both his back and hamstring. However, he ended his season with a .277 batting average and 70 RBIs. Jones, only 24 years old, has been with the O’s since 2006 and is an important asset to the team.

Nick Markakis. The name pretty much says it all. Although he is only 25 years old, the right fielder was voted the Orioles' Most Valuable Player, finished the season with 101 RBIs, a .293 batting average and 18 home runs. He is also a nominee for the Roberto Clemente Award, which will be announced during the World Series. Markakis has been with the O’s since 2006 as well, and is a major powerhouse for the team.

Felix Pie injured his left quad, ending his season earlier than he’d like. Prior to his injury, Pie had a .266 batting average and 29 RBIs. When Pie, Jones and Reimold were all placed on the disabled list, the Orioles had exactly three outfielders that were capable of holding the team together.

Although the Orioles had a losing season, it’s not because they’re a bad team. They’re just a team that’s working on rebuilding themselves for the future, and bouncing back from numerous team injuries. The best is yet to come. Look out, Baltimore. The O’s are back!

UConn Cornerback Died After Stabbing

University of Connecticut starting cornerback Jasper Howard, 20, died after being stabbed during an on-campus dance. The fight occurred several hours after UConn won their homecoming game against Louisville. Howard was able to force a fumble during the third quarter, preventing Louisville from scoring.

Around 12:30a.m., a fight broke out after a fire alarm was pulled, and Howard and a fellow teammate were stabbed. One of Howard’s teammates performed CPR on him, and looked after the other victim, who is in critical condition.

Howard was a junior from Miami, and was the first person in his family to go to college. He was also an expectant father.

A Tough Week for the Redskins

Oh man. Here we go again. We gave the Lions, the Panthers and now the Chiefs their first win of the season. Teams that haven’t won games in a year or so. Your teams hitting a rough patch? Need an easy win? Play the Redskins!

But seriously…during the Chiefs game, the one that Zorn replaced Jason Campbell with backup quarterback Todd Collins, and the Redskins lost… it seemed to be a turning point for Vinny Cerrato. Instead of firing Zorn, which owner Dan Snyder has made clear he does not want to do, he just got his play calling duties taken away from him. They were given to none other than Sherm Lewis.

I’m not quite sure I understand this. Isn’t the main duty of the head coach to call the plays? If that’s taken away from Zorn, the only thing he has left is call timeouts and throw the challenge flag, and I’m not even sure he knows how to do that correctly.

Jason Campbell Benched

While playing the previously winless Kansas City Chiefs, Jim Zorn decided to bench Jason Campbell and see how backup quarterback Todd Collins would do in his place.
The idea was successful at first; Collins was able to throw for the Skins’ first touchdown of the game. However, the Skins still wound up losing 14-6.

Campbell was pretty off his game, throwing one interception and going 9 of 16 for 89 yards. This was one of the main reasons for Zorn taking him out. Collins completed only six of 14 passes for 75 yards. It is possible he will make more starts in the future unless Campbell can get his act together.

Cartoon Cowboys Mock Jessica Simpson

Fox and Burger King are in hot water for a controversial commercial that aired during NFL Sunday last week. However, FOX has released a statement saying that Burger King was not responsible for, or had any part in the commercial that aired on Sunday.

The cartoon showed several Dallas Cowboys and their coach, Wade Phillips, in the locker room. The players and their coach were cracking jokes about Jessica Simpson and how much weight she had gained since her and ex-boyfriend Tony Romo’s breakup.

It’s kind of hard to believe that a network as big as FOX could make such a huge mistake by running this commercial. Not only was it not funny, but it was extremely offensive. And it’s quite strange that FOX would bring ex-girlfriends into their ads, especially those who are rich and famous and could sue them for all they have. I guess we’ll have to wait and see what happens next.
 
See for yourself here.

Ray Lewis Fined for Hitting Ochocinco

Baltimore Raven’s linebacker Ray Lewis received a $25,000 fine for unnecessary roughness during a Cincinnati Bengals game on October 11th. Lewis ran helmet first into Chad Ochocinco, driving him into the ground, and the force knocked off his helmet. After a 15-yard penalty, the Bengals were able to score the winning touchdown, putting them ahead of the Ravens 17-14.

Ochocinco asked NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell to rescind his decision and not require Lewis pay the fine. He issued a statement on his Twitter, saying that he was not injured and didn’t think it was necessary for Lewis to lose money over it.
However, according to the Baltimore Sun, Lewis received the fine totaling almost half of his weekly salary. I don’t know about you, but I think there are better ways to spend $25,000.

You can watch the big hit here.

Dolphins, Rams Seek New Owners

It seems as though nowadays, anyone can own a football team. Fergie, lead singer for the Black Eyed Peas, is the future part-owner of the Miami Dolphins. As if she wasn’t busy enough already.

Rush Limbaugh, a conservative, Republican talk show host, had hopes to become part-owner of the St. Lous Rams. However, his request was denied, partially due to his controversial views broadcast via the radio.
Some people are confused as to why Fergie was chosen over Limbaugh. Understandably so, as much of the work can be considered controversial to some. However, Limbaugh values and ideals offend more people than Fergie’s occasional dirty word.

Seeing as neither team is very good, I am interested to see what Fergie’s partial ownership will do for the team. But then again, I’m sure Britney Spears would make a better owner than Dan Snyder.

Golf & Rugby Added to 2010 Olympics

For the first time since 1904, golf will return as a Summer Olympic sport for the 2010 Olympics in Rio de Janeiro. Golf, along with rugby, was voted on by Olympic officials to join the Summer Olympic sports. This will bring over 120 more athletes into the competition.

Golf won the vote 63-27, while rugby won by 81-8. The last time new sports were added to the Olympics was Tae Kwon Do and the Triathlon, which were added in 2000.

There is a lot of controversy surrounding these decisions, because many people feel that golf is a sport played by rich people, and some places do not allow women to play golf.

I think it will be extremely interesting to see the success of these two sports in the Olympics games.  I can’t say that I agree rugby and golf are Olympic-worthy, but I am very curious to see how Tiger Woods will do.

Redskins Brought to Supreme Court

Oh Redskins. It never ceases to amaze me how much controversy you can get yourselves into. Your team is bad, your ownership is bad and even your name is bad.

Many people feel that the term “Redskin” is offensive towards Native Americans, making it an offensive trademark, which is illegal. The term “Redskin” refers to either A: the torturing of Native Americans or B: the war paint that they used to wear and the term the used to refer to each other.

The Redskins were originally called the Boston Braves, but their name changed in 1933, before they moved to Washington, D.C.

Many Native Americans feel that the name is offensive, and have brought their case to the U.S. Supreme Court. It’s hard for this case to go anywhere, because they have waited so long to bring this case to trial.

Caster Semenya’s Gender in Question

Caster Semenya is an 18-year-old from South Africa who runs the women’s 800m, and recently won the world championship. This summer, Semenya’s gender was questioned because she is extremely athletic, and has a masculine appearance and deeper voice. It is also noted that she has three times as much testosterone than that of normal women.

It is assumed that she is a Hermaphrodite, meaning she possess both male and female characteristics. This sparks controversy, because people want to take away her title if she was competing in a woman’s event, when she is really a man.

People are concerned for Semenya because she is attracting so much attention at a young age, and feel that her country should be doing more to protect her.
Semenya is not the only person to have this problem. There have been several athletes who were hermaphrodites, and had their metals taken away after a gender test.

It is only a matter of time before this situation is figured out. If Semenya considers herself a woman, I don’t think a test should prove otherwise.

Bengals’ Zimmer Leads Team Despite Loss

Bengals’ defensive coordinator Mike Zimmer helped his team win 17-14 against the Ravens. This isn’t surprising, unless you factor in the recent loss of his wife, Vicki. The cause of death is still uncertain at the moment. The game occurred only 3 days after her death, but no one could blame him for wanting to be surrounded by his team, which is like a second family to him.

The Raven’s offense averages around 31 points per game in their first 4 games, were held to only 14 points and only 82 rushing yards.

Zimmer received the game ball, and reminded his team that his wife Vicki would be so proud of all of them.

The Skins are a Sinking Ship

The Skins have had such a horrible season, that they’re already being compared to the tragedy that was the Titanic. LilBitMoneyFilms created the video in which The Titanic (Redskins) hits the iceberg (aka the Lions) and all hell breaks loose. The Titanic (franchise) is destroyed and there is no hope for anyone aboard.

Now obviously, this is a little bit of an exaggeration, but not so much. Losing to the 0-19 Lions was a huge disaster that could’ve easily been avoid by better management and a better back up plan. However, I don’t think that Sherman Lewis is the life raft we’ve all been waiting for, to keep this ship from sinking even further.

You can view the video here.

Synder Hires Sherman Lewis

Daniel Snyder has hired some help for Jim Zorn on Tuesday. Unfortunately, he’s been around since before football was invented. Sherman Lewis, more commonly known for his bingo-calling skills than anything else, was a volunteer at a senior center before returning to football to help coach the Skins.

Lewis, who is 67, has been hired to help with the offense, which I don’t need to point out hasn’t been very successful. He’s previous worked with teams such as Detroit, Minnesota, Green Bay and San Francisco, from 1983-2004, and Green Bay won the Super Bowl in 1996 while he was on the coaching staff.

Hopefully Lewis will be the extra pair of eyes that the Redskins need.

Jason Campbell- 2nd String?

Michael Crabtree Signed

Michael Crabtree, who was drafted as the 10th overall pick in 2009, has finally signed a six-year contract with the San Francisco 49ers. His contract is worth $32 million, but could be worth as much as $40 million if he follows all the guidelines in his contract.

However, Crabtree is at a huge disadvantage because he missed all of training camp.
Crabtree apparently didn’t sign in August because of financial disputes, and was willing to be “re-drafted” until he received the contract he desired. If Crabtree wasn’t signed by mid-November, he would’ve been ineligible to play, and if he didn’t sign, he would have to sit out for seven weeks until he could be traded.

Crabtree is expected to play during the game vs. Houston on October 25th, 2009.

A Skins Fan Walks Into a Bar...

This is an extremely accurate Redskins joke. Especially because the majority of our points are from our kicker, Shaun Suisham. And because the Redskins have been a joke around the NFL.

A guy walks into a bar wearing a Redskin's jersey and carrying a cat that also has a Redskin's jersey on with a little Redskin's helmet on his head, too.

The guy says to the bartender, "Can me and my cat watch the Redskin's game here? My TV is broke and my cat and I always watch the game together."
The bartender replies, "Normally, cats wouldn't be allowed in the bar, but it's not very busy in here right now, so you and the cat can have a seat at the end of the bar. But, if there's any trouble with you or the cat, I'll have to ask you to leave."

The guy agrees, and he and his cat start watching the game.
Pretty soon the Redskins kick a field goal and the excited cat jumps up on the bar and walks down the bar and gives everyone a high five.
The bartender says, "Hey, that's pretty cool! What does he do for a touchdown?"
The guys answers, "I don't know, I've only had him for 3 years."

NFL Goes Pink

Millions of people turned in to one of the many NFL games today and were surprised to see some of their favorite players wearing pink articles of clothing, such as gloves, patches, decals on their helmets and cleats. On top of that, all of the players, staff and even the referees were wearing pink armbands.

Redskins’ owner Daniel Snyder’s wife, Tanya, was diagnosed with breast cancer a year ago. She is now in remission, and just recently became the spokesperson for the NFL, especially when it comes to the “Crucial Catch” campaign. Redskins’ tight end Chris Cooley talked about his mother’s fight with breast cancer; she is now in remission as well.

This is all part of the NFL’s “Crucial Catch”, to help support the fight against breast cancer.

All of the pink items the players wore during the game will be auctioned off, the proceeds will benefit the American Cancer Society.

O's Avoid 100 Losses

After beating the Toronto Blue Jays 6-3 at home, the O’s are able to avoid an embarrassing 100 losses for the season. This win give the O’s their first 3-consecutive wins since July. The team hasn’t seen over 100 losses since 1988, when they finished the season 54-107. Prior to that, the O’s lost over 100 games in 1954, which was their first season in Baltimore.

Pitcher Mark Hendrickson only allowed 3 runs in a little over 6 innings that he pitched. Randy Ruiz and Rod Barajas scored 2 runs for Toronto in the second inning, bringing the score to 2-0. Lou Montanez scored the O’s first run in the bottom of the second, and 3 more runs were scored in the 4th inning, by Nick Markakis, Ty Wigginton and Jeff Fiorentino, bringing the score to 5-2. G Rodriguez scored the O’s 6th run in the 6th inning, and the Jays scored their 3rd run in the 7th inning.

Rio de Janeiro Chosen for 2016 Summer Olympics

The International Olympic Committee decided yesterday that Rio de Janeiro will host the 2016 Summer Olympics. Rio beat out Madrid, Tokyo and Chicago, making it the first country in South American to ever host the Olympic Games.


President Obama put in a bid for Chicago to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, as well as the Paralympic Games. He hoped that by hosting the Olympic Games in the United States, it will bring the world together and give everyone more hope.

Unfortunately, Chicago was one of the first locations to be eliminated.

The Olympics Games will cost Rio de Janeiro an estimated $14 billion. The Olympic Village alone will cost around $427 million. There is also a question of safety, because there is an extremely high homicide rate, and very few places for Olympic guests to stay.  Hopefully, this won't be a problem.

Dave Trembly to Return in 2010

The O’s announced Friday that Dave Trembly will return in 2010 for his 3rd season as manager. This decision was made by Andy MacPhail, who decided that the O’s poor record was not just Trembly’s fault, especially when you factor in the numerous injuries that took place at the end of the season.

Even though Trembly’s record is 170-244 over the past 2 seasons, MacPhail sees potential in him as a manager. This is partially due to the growth and maturation of young players, such as Nolan Reimold and Matt Wieters. Trembly managed Minor League teams for 20 seasons before he started at the O’s.

O's Win!

No, that is not a typo. Hard to believe it myself. After 13 consecutive losses, the O’s managed to beat the Ray’s 3-2 in Florida. The O’s decided to start left-handed pitcher Chris Waters, who has never started a game before this one. He managed to only allow a solo home run by the Ray’s Ben Zobrist. One thing that helped the O’s win this game was being able to score in the first inning. This is the first game that the O’s won while Nolan Reimold has been out with an injury. Adam Jones has been out with an ankle injury, Felix Pie has minor injuries, Luke Scott was not able to play last night due to a sore foot. Because Scott was out, Jeff Fiorentino was called up to play center field.

The O’s will take on the Toronto Blue Jays at home tomorrow night at 7:05pm. Go O’s!

Pie Out for the Season

After an injury that resulted in a strained quadriceps, left fielder Felix Pie will be out for the reason of the season. He, along with outfielders Nolan Reimold and Adam Jones, was forced to end his season earlier than expected.

Reimold replaced Pie due to poor performance, and Pie began playing again once center fielder Jones was placed on the disabled list. Jones suffered from a sprained ankle, and Reimold required surgery for a torn Achilles tendon, which ended their seasons early.

The only remaining uninjured outfielder is Nick Markakis, and Dave Trembley has no other choice but to play Luke Scott and Jeff Fiorentino in outfield when necessary.

NFL Bans Tweeting Before and After Games

With Twitter becoming such a phenomenon lately, it’s no wonder that the NFL has put restrictions on it lately. The rules now state that players are not allowed to “Tweet” or send text messages during team functions and games. This includes players, coaches and even those closely associated with the team. They will also not be allowed to update their social networking sites, such as Twitter or Facebook, 90 minutes before the game starts, and not until after all of the interviews are completed after the game.
But players and staff are the only ones restricted. The NFL also said that media that attend games are not allowed to update the social media sites during games, even if it’s just to provide updates. This is mainly due to the fact that the NFL would prefer people watch the game on TV as opposed to watching updates on the computer.

We know that players use Twitter as a venting outlet (cough Robert Henson), so it’s only a matter of time before someone decides to break the rules and Tweet during the game.

B-Rob On Top

With each game, the O’s get closer and closer to 100 losses, and one of the worst seasons they have ever seen. However, not everything the O’s touch turns to mud. Brian Roberts is one of five players since 1900, who was able to steal 25 bases, hit 50 doubles, earn 70 walks and 100 runs for 3 straight seasons. The only other players who’ve done this are Craig Biggio, Bobby Abreu, Tris Speaker and Kiki Cuyler. He has also hit for 55 doubles this season, tied for the most doubles hit in a season by a switch-hitter. However, many people are unaware of this because the O’s lost the game 9-0.

Skins Hand Detroit a Win

I'm not sure why, but us Skins fans tend to think we're invincible sometimes. For the past week or so there have been jokes about the Lions beating us. No one really thought it was going to happen, but we thought it was pretty funny to think about. Until today. When we lost horribly. To the LIONS for crying out loud.

Detroit was ahead 13-0 until the 3rd quarter! With a rookie quarterback fresh out of college (I’m not quite sure he even graduated)! Did this actually happen? Are the Skins really as bad as they played today?

I blame it on Tom Cruise. Who allowed him on the field? He was probably trying to push his scientology beliefs on poor Zorny before the game. Or maybe it’s due to the Remy rap that is played over and over and over and basically fried everyone’s brains.

How else can you explain the 19-14 lost to the worst team in the NFL? I refuse to believe that it’s due to the inadequate coaching skills and a team that can’t seem to get their act together. No… that couldn’t possibly be right could it? Hopefully the Skins will get their coach a going away present. Bye Jim Zorn, it was nice knowing you.