A few morning Stories

Apologies to all of you out there, no updates yesterday had a busy day didn’t get around to any new updates. With that said let’s recap some stuff.

I get RSS feeds in my email. Which means every time a site updates, I get a memo about the new story. Coming into work today I read my ESPN updates like a police blotter. I know I have stressed this a thousand time by now, but how far is this going to go. When is this going to stop. Read my first post God Help Us if you need the background of what I’m talking about. The top stories of today and yesterday included the words affidavit, judge, plea, appeal, gun, and so on. The stories are about Sean Taylor’s assailants entering not guilty pleas. 3 or 4 stories about the baseball/steroid investigation, Todd Sauerbrun released for off-field issues, and so on in that order. I’m sick of it, and you all know I’m sick of it.

It seems like everyday something new is coming out in the steroid investigation. And the last two days are no different. Jason Grimsely’s testimony from last year came out and didn’t name the big names that everyone thought it would, to add more to the "he said – he said" aura surrounding this investigation. Yesterday it was reported that players will not be at the hearings, despite now having the power of the law on their side. Today it has been reported that they will. When will we get a straight answer on all of this, well we all know, never.

I don’t know where I stand on Curt Schilling’s comments regarding Clemens. Schilling said that Clemens’ Cy Young’s should be taken away. Though I think if you look at Clemens’ early numbers compared to his Cy Young numbers, Schilling’s got a point, where does it end. MLB is not supporting an asterisk on Bonds’ record (further showing my belief that they secretly supported the steroid era until forced into fighting against it). They are going to have to re-write a lot of record books if they want to remove the steroid era players from their “earned” spots in history.

I love Zo. Always have. He has had such an amazing career, and Wednesday night he tore the patellar tendon in his right knee. If it is in fact his last game (having previously stated that this would be his last season) he went out the way he wanted to go out. Well, almost, “That's not the way I envisioned myself walking off the court (with the help of teammates) for the last time in my career," he said. "I've been through so much in my life. If I had to crawl off the court I would have. Nobody was going to push me off on a stretcher off the court. That wasn't going to happen." You gotta love his will and attitude. The man missed a year for a kidney transplant. He’s got a lot of heart. The earliest timetable for his return would be late April, early May, but that is not common on a 37 year old. With that said, Zo has a ton of heart and I for one wouldn’t be all that amazed if he came back. And if not he can say he ended his career having to be dragged off the court. Once Zo is gone, it’s pretty much down to Shaq holding onto the NBA of my youth. Unless Jordan makes another comeback, he looked pretty good at the Bobcats practice earlier this week.

And in another update, Fast Willie Parker broke his leg last night. This is terrible news for all Steeler fans, and I admit I root for the Stillers occasionally. Without him in their running game making a run at the AFC won’t be easy in the coming months. But in the Silver Lining report, that should open up a spot for an AFC running back in the Pro Bowl. I wonder who t should replace him.

To end on a good note, there will be a special guest in the audience this weekend in Buffalo. My favorite story of the year, Kevin Everett, has said that he will be in attendance this weekend for the Bills finale.
More after the jump...

Another batch of Random Thoughts

I know you are sick of them but it’s at this point during the day, typically, that I start to think about all of the sports and completely unrelated stories that are scrolling across your very TV screen (I assume, there is no TV screen in my office). And while thinking of them I decide that my loyal readers out there are wondering where I stand on a select few issues. So here’s today’s collection of random thoughts.

The Stork is visiting the Spears home but don’t worry, even in the most twisted of universes, Brittney would never be allowed to have another child. It’s only her 16 year old sister, star of Disney’s Zoey 101. Now typically I don’t discuss these things, and that will remain true. I was just updating all of you that, it indeed was a story I heard.

Sean Taylor was honored with a trip to the Pro Bowl, the first NFL player to be awarded that distinction Posthumously. The really sad thing is that he was leading the voting prior to his unfortunate late-night run-in. Say what you want about Taylor’s character he was turning his life around. It’s amazing to think that this guy, who was given and was taking a second chance, dies after a one in a hundred shot to a major artery. Meanwhile, Jamaal Tinsley escapes yet another shooting. Not saying that I wish harm on Tinsley but he hasn’t learned and this isn’t the first time someone shot at him with intent to kill. If you’re employer tells you it would be a good idea to get a bodyguard and you aren’t a President, Head of State, or the Pope, most likely there’s something wrong with the way you are leading your life. At least Taylor got to play in last year’s Pro Bowl game as an alternate.

With the whole head coaching shuffle in Bowl Games, I realize now while thinking about bowl picks, if gambling were legal, that coaching changes happening before Bowl Season is ridiculous. It’s kinda hard to pick say the Navy game since the Midshipmen’s coach, most likely, won’t be on the sideline for the game. How can you determine how a team will play when there is a new coach holding the clipboard during the game. It really makes things difficult.

Contrary to earlier reports, Tuna will not be going to Hotlanta, instead he’s looking to swim with the fishes in Miami. (Sorry the pun was just waiting to happen, they’re like crack). The ATL is just having the worst luck Vick in Jail for 2 years, Blank making blatantly racist statements (despite denying them), Petrino leaving, Parcells leaving before even arriving, and Joey Harrington at QB. It’s the curse of Eugene Robinson. This team was in the Super Bowl not too long ago, then Eugene went to get a “working girl”, and Falcon Leading rusher, Pro Bowler, Jamal Anderson tore his ACL and never returned. To put things in perspective, Miami won it’s first game of the season in week 14 and its MORE attractive than Atlanta.

Fred Taylor (216 carries for 1091 yards and 4 TDs, 18th in total yards in NFL history) is not in the Pro Bowl for the AFC. LdT (280/1311/14) is pretty rightly in front of him but Joseph Addai (251/1019/11)? Yeah he’s got more TDs but is averaging OVER 1 yard less per carry. And then there’s “Fast” Willie Parker (320/1317/2) less TDs, less yards per carry. Also Mario Williams (53 tackles/13 sacks) got left out, and no one from the entire NFC South was picked. I’m not necessarily saying that anyone on the Bucs, Saints, Panthers, or the aforementioned Atlanta Falcons should be on the team, but an entire conference getting shut out is just remarkable.

Back to Mario Williams for a second. Everyone said that was the biggest waste of a #1 pick. True, Houston probably could have traded down a spot or two and gotten Williams, but was it really that terrible of a pick? Compare #1 overall pick Williams with #2 overall pick Reggie Bush for a second. Without going into too much detail, over the last two seasons Williams is right in line, statistically with the other top DEs in the league. More tackles (solo and total) than Pro Bowlers Osi Umenyiora and Patrick Kerney over the last two years and more than Pro Bowler Jason Taylor this year. He also has as many sacks over the last two years (18) as Umenyiora and more than Pro Bowler Kyle Vanden Bosch. His numbers are on par, a little above or a little below all 6 of the Pro Bowl Defensive Ends this year on both the AFC and NFC rosters. Bush on the other hand, is not having a terrible career, but is not nearly as comparable as his backfield counterparts.

In two seasons he has amassed 312 carries for 1146 yards, 10 TDs and 9 Fumbles while on the ground and 161 receptions for 1159 yards, 4 TDs and no fumbles. If you want to compare stats over the last two years to the 6 Pro Bowlers in his position, and Fred Taylor, like I did with Williams, he doesn’t compare. He has less carries than all of them but rookie Adrian Peterson and Dallas’ #2 back Marion Barber (Barber has 1 less carry). He also has much less yards than all of them including Peterson and Barber. Yes Peterson has more yards in 14 games than Bush in an extra season. He also has more fumbles than all of them but Fast Willie Parker (10). True he is one of those new versatile backs amassing 1159 yards receiving over 2 years and 4 TDs, which is more than all of them but Pro Bowler Brian Westbrook who has 1404. But on closer inspection he also has more than three receptions to some of their one. Without boring too much he has 7.1 yards per reception over the last two years. Taylor is averaging 9.4, Peterson 14.5, LdT 8.6, Barber has 7.2, Addai 8.6, Westbrook 8.8, and only ties Fast Willie at 7.1. I guess Super Mario wasn’t that big of a bust was he? Looks like the guys in Houston are good at drafting first overall, with the exception of David Carr of course.
More after the jump...