Armchair Weekend in Review (August 31-September 3, 2007)

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by JB82

Hope everyone had a great Labo(u)r Day Weekend. Before everyone goes back to school, let's have a history lesson...

College Football begins

We lead off with what will arguably go down as one of the biggest upsets in NCAA football history. Appalachian State, the two-time Division I Football Championship Subdivision champs, went into the Big House in Ann Arbor and shocked everybody. In the second half, the host Michigan Wolverines looked as though they had the Mountaineers well in hand. But, the latter scored 21 unanswered points to take a 34-32 lead. Chad Henne and the Michigan offense drove almost the length of the field to set up the game-winning field goal, only to have it blocked by the A-State defense.

Last year at this time, the Cal Golden Bears were licking their chops over a 35-18 pantsing at the hands of the Tennessee Volunteers, and their conference's – the Pac 10 – reputation as a "big-time" group was all but destroyed. 2007 would be different, though, and Cal would get revenge and save the Pac-10's name and rep. Bears QB Nate Longshore went 19-28 and threw for 241 yards and two scores in a 45-31 romp. There was also a frightening incident which involved Vols linebacker Xavier Mitchell: with four minutes to go in the game, Mitchell sustained a neck injury after running into a teammate while trying to make a tackle. Our best to him...

Last April, the Virginia Tech community suffered through the aftermath of one of the worst tragedies of its kind in US history, when a student went on a rampage and gunned down 32 people. The coming of the football season would bring a great chance to jumpstart the healing process. The season started with an otherwise uninspiring 17-7 win over East Carolina, after speculation that the Hokies would feed of the emotions and score a lot more points. There ain't much you can do, friends, when your backfield is held to just 33 yards rushing.

The same time Cal got blown out at Tennessee, Notre Dame got a win over Georgia Tech on the arm of Brady Quinn. However, the post-Quinn era in South Bend got off to a rocky start with a 33-3 loss to the Yellowjackets. Maybe Charlie Weis should've announced his Q days before the game...

Florida got its title defense off the ground and had no trouble with Western Kentucky, 49-3.

Baseball's still on

This weekend was full of series with pennant race and wild card implications in both leagues. A summary of the weekend's action:

This reporter feels as though the New York Yankees had a bit of a hangover after sweeping the Boston Red Sox. Evidence is dropping two out of three games to the Tampa Bay Devil Rays. One bright spot, however, was the MLB debut of Ian Kennedy. The ex-Yankee farmhand pitched seven innings, scattered five hits, gave up six earned runs, walked five and struck out two in a 9-6 win on Saturday.

Luckily, the Yanks didn't lose any ground in the AL wild card race, as the Toronto Blue Jays were not the gracious of hosts, sweeping the Seattle Mariners out of the Great White North.

The Yanks' crosstown rivals also had a sweep, and a much-needed one at that. After being on the wrong end of the broom during the week against the Philadelphia Phillies to allow the Fighting Christofs within striking distance in the NL East. But, the Mets swept the Atlanta Braves, with the highlight of that series being Tom Glavine's return to the ATL to praise, and then bury, his former team.

The Chicago Cubs took two of three from the Houston Astros, while the Milwaukee Brewers kept pace by sweeping the Pittsburgh Pirates. The Cubbies' lead in the NL Central was a game and a half after Sunday's action.

The NL West got wilder and woolier over the weekend, with the San Diego Padres taking two of three from the Los Angeles Dodgers and the Arizona Diamondbacks dropping that many against the Colorado Rockies.

Notable notes from Monday

The Seattle Mariners added to the Yanks' recent misery as Ichiro clinched his seventh 200-hit season with a solo shot in the top of the third inning in Monday's 7-1 romp in the Bronx.

It was well worth the wait for New York Mets fans to see Pedro Martinez on the mound after rotator cuff surgery. Martinez went five innings, gave up only two earned runs on five hits, walked three and struck out four in a 10-4 win over the Cincinnati Reds. Pedro ended the second by notching career K number 3,000, becoming the 15th pitcher in MLB history to reach that milestone.

NFL Notable Notes

Nice of you to show up: New York Giants defensive end Michael Strahan finally joined his New York Giants teammates on Friday after blowing off training camp.

New England Patriots cornerback Rodney Harrison will serve a four-game suspension after he was in violation of the NFL's drug policy after it was known that he had been taking HGH (human growth hormone).

CFL Labour Day Classics

If there's anything in sports that this reporter likes, it's a good rivalry. There were four of them up north Friday, Sunday and Monday.

East met West in Vancouver and the British Columbia Lions romped all over the Montreal Alouettes, 46-14. Joe Smith and Ian Smart led the way with a combined 171 yards rushing and four touchdowns.

Round one of the 2007 Banjo Bowl went to the Saskatchewan Roughriders. While Winnipeg Blue Bombers wideout Derrick Armstrong got 13 catches for just over 200 yards and two scores, it was Riders QB Kerry Joseph was the big man on the field, going 20-32, throwing for 348 yards and two scores in a 31-26 win.

The Battle of Ontario saw the Toronto Argonauts end their five-game losing streak as Michael Bishop threw for over 300 yards and connected twice in the Argos' 32-14 win over the Hamilton Tiger Cats.

Meanwhile, the Calgary Stampeders have taken the first of two meetings in the Battle of Alberta. Before the game, Stamps QB Henry Burris said that rookie wideout Ryan Thelwell would have a "coming-out party", and the latter scored twice to go along with seven receptions for 199 yards in a 35-24 win over provincial rivals the Edmonton Eskimos.

These teams will swich venues next week, so more rivalry fun to come then!

Across the pond

Think back to when you were in grade school. You rooted for a team so much, that you hoped that one day you would put on their uniform and get to wow that team's supporters and even go on to greatness in the field of sport? As the saying goes, "Many are called, but few are chosen," so let's consider Aston Villa's Zat Knight one of the lucky few. The Villa defenseman, who grew up a Chelsea supporter, headed the opening score in the 47th minute of a 2-0 shutout of the Lions.

Meanwhile, Liverpool welcomed newcomers Derby County to Anfield, only to kick them out with a 6-0 whooping. Fernando Torres and Xabi Alonso scored two goals each in the match.

Fast Track

Jimmie Johnson had himself a homecoming he won't soon forget; the El Cajon, California native beat the heat and the field to win the Sharp Aquos 500 at California Speedway near Los Angeles. Johnson also clinched a spot in the Chase for the NEXTEL Cup, as well as jeff Burton and Kyle Busch. Kevin Harvick entered the fray in the 12th and final spot, while Dale Earnhardt, Jr. is still on the outside looking in. The final field will be set after next Saturday night's race in Richmond, Virginia.

Casey Stoner continues his single-handed domination of the MotoGP series with a win at San Marino. Even Valentino Rossi, last year's runner up, admitted that Stoner is a stone cold lead pipe lock for the drivers' title in '07.

Open-wheel winners included Tony Kanaan (IRL at Kentucky) and Justin Wilson (CCWS in Holland)

Kudos

...to Cornelio Velasquez, who took the Saratoga Race Course jockey's title in the very last race of a 2007 meet which saw increases in attendance and on-track wagering. Velasquez amassed 44 wins during the 36-day meet, edging out Kent Desormeaux who had 43.

- Also, get well wishes to Edgar Prado, who suffered an ankle injury on Saturday after riding Admirable Bird to victory in Saturday's seventh race.

...to Bill Mott, who unseated Todd Pletcher as King of the Spa Trainers with 13 wins this year.

...to the US men's basketball team, who clinched the gold medal in the FIBA Tournament of the Americas with a 118-81 win over Argentina. Two days earlier, the Yankee Doodle Dandies clinched a berth in the upcoming Olympics with a convincing 135-91 rout of Puerto Rico. These were the same PR team that upset the Amerks three years ago in Athens, BTW.

...to Phil Mickelson, who won the Deutsche Bank Championship (also the seocnd round of the PGA TOUR's FedEx Cup playoff) on Monday by two strokes over Tiger Woods. However, don't expect Lefty at next weekend BMW Classic event, as he seemingly has issues with the TOUR re this whole playoff thing.

It's D time!

Dude of the Weekend

Boston Red Sox pitcher Clay Buchholz, who became only the second pitcher in MLB's modern era (i.e., since 1900) to pitch a no-hit no-run game in only his second career start on Saturday night in an 8-0 win over the Baltimore Orioles. It was the BoSox' first no-no since Derek Lowe in 2002.

Honorable mention goes to Minnesota Twins pitcher Scott Baker, who pitched a one-hit shutout the night before in a 5-0 win in the second game of a doubleheader against the Kansas City Royals.

Dope of the Weekend

Michigan football coach Lloyd Carr: When your team gives up 21 unanswered points to a Division I-AA team and have their defense block a game-winning field goal attempt to boot, you deserve nothing less than this honor, my friend.

I thought we'd NEVER get here!

But, alas, we've come to the end. If you though this weekend was big, wait til next weekend when the NFL gets underway! Until then, let's all be good sports...

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