Friday, October 6, 2006

Sorry For The Delay, Ace!

       

Football season is a lovely time....but it makes me sooooo busy.  With The FanHouse popping off and just other commitments to my time, I've not been able to give this blog the time that (a) it deserves and (b) I want it to have.  So, to touch some bases on what's been going on:.

AMERICA SUCKS!!!!:  Yeah, I said it.  The Philadelphia 76ers lost to Winterthur FC Barcelona yesterday in one of those "NBA in Europe" exhibition things.  It's only the 6th time ever that an NBA team has lost internationally since 1978....and only the 2nd time that it wasn't Maccabi Tel Aviv that beat 'em [the USSR beat the Atlanta Hawks in 1988]. 

Add this to a pile that includes:

-Team USA doesn't grab gold in the World Basketball Championships
-Team USA doesn't grab the women's gold either
-The Ryder Cup was a complete embarrassment
-So was the World Baseball Challenge where Team USA didn't get out of group play
-Team USA didn't fare well at all in the World Cup of Soccer either....failing to get out of group play
-There are no American heavyweight champs.  All four current beltholders are from the former Soviet Union. 

REDS SEASON ENDS:  In baseball, it isn't always bad to just miss the playoffs.  The Reds made a great run for the postseason....and if not for a late season swoon on a West Coast swing, they could've been there.  And unlike recent seasons, the failure to win doesn't mean there is a failure to have a winning franchise.  New owner Bob Castellini has shown the Reds fanbase that he's willing to go the extra mile to get this team in a position to get better....even if it doesn't work out [more on that later].  There is a lot of youth out there and the pitching staff held up better than was originally hoped [Aaron Harang led the NL in strikeouts, Arroyo was 6th].  A few tweaks to the roster and an actual feeling that they can make a run at it should have the Reds ready to roll come spring training. 

STILL, BASEBALL IS UNFAIR:  Broken record, I know, but is it a coincindence that the Yankees and Mets finished with their league's best records when they have their league's top payrolls??  Sure, the A's [#21], Twins [#19] and Padres [#17] all had payrolls in the bottom half of the league....but it makes a difference to be able to take on payroll and it not work out than to take that chance and screw your franchise. 

NORTH DAKOTA SUES NCAA:  The University of North Dakota is suing the NCAA over it's "Fighting Sioux" name.  The NCAA has spent time going around and trying to push away using Native American tribes as nicknames for team sports by sanctioning the school for postseason play.  Basically, the NCAA is holding possible revenue from the schools if they don't comply. 

Yet, Florida State can keep the "Seminoles" and Utah can keep the "Utes" [and, for that matter, Notre Dame can keep the "Fighting Irish"].   Central Michigan did get to keep the "Chippewas", too....as all three of the schools had to prove that they were cool with the tribes they were using as nicknames. 

Again, this is a touchy subject...but an interesting lawsuit.  It will be interesting to see if a court will allow the NCAA to restrict programs with "objectionable" nicknames....or allows the NCAA to do as it pleases.  More on this, I'm sure. 

THE ACC BLOWS:  Is it hoops season yet?  This ACC football season has been bad....orca bad.  We just entered October, and only the freakin' Wake Forest Demon Deacons are still undefeated.  Miami gets dogged by FSU and Louisville [not like that's a horrible thing] and was taken to the limit by Houston;  Florida State and BC gets smacked down by NC State;  NC State has lost to Akron and Southern Miss;  UNC has been run out of every game this year....and nearly lost at home to Furman;  Virginia lost at home to Western Michigan;  Duke has been shut out in 3 of their 4 games this year;  V-Tech looked to be the the elite team from the conference...and then gets pummeled at home by Georgia Tech.  The one saving grace is Georgia Tech....who looked good against Notre Dame in a loss...and got that big win at Virginia Tech.  I'm just waiting for the hoopster to tip off!

MY WEEK 5 NFL PICKS:  Skins, Colts, Bears, Rams, Vikings, Patriots, Saints, Panthers, Chiefs, Niners, Jags, Eagles, Chargers and Broncos

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