Armchair Weekend in Review (December 1-3, 2006)

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by user JB82

NCAA Football: Last Saturday of the season

Going into Saturday, Pete Carroll's University of Southern California Trojans knew that a win against crosstown (and Pacific 10 Conference) rival the University of California at Los Angeles Bruins would give them a shot against the Ohio State University Buckeyes in the Bowl Championship Series Championship Game. Instead, thanks to Pete Cowan's game-winning quarterback sneak, the Bruins beat USC for the first time in eight tries, 13-9.
- The biggest upset of the year was also good news for the University of Florida Gators; Urban Meyer's squad defeated the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, 38-28, to clinch the Southeastern Conference championship and the trip to Glendale, Arizona. Meanwhile, USC will head back to Pasadena on New Year's Day to face the University of Michigan Wolverines in the Rose Bowl.
The Wake Forest University Deamon Deacons clinched a spot in the Orange Bowl by virtue of their winning the Atlantic Coast Conference title with a 9-6 kickers' duel against the Georgia Institute of Technology Yellow Jackets. Their opponents on New Year's Day: the University of Louisville Cardinals.
- Louisville got in due to the West Virginia University Mountaineers' triple-overtime 41-39 win against the Rutgers University Scarlet Knights. *They may not have won the Big East Conference, but give a big hand to head coach Greg Schiano's club, who had an amazing season, finishing 10-2.
The rivalry between the University of Oklahoma Sooners and the University of Nebraska Cornhuskers was given new life with the two teams playing for the Big 12 Conference title. The Crimson and Cream rose above off-the-field quarterback issues and running back Adrian Peterson's injury to defeat Bill Callahan's squad, 21-7. The Sooner Schooner will be headed for the Fiesta Bowl and a matchup against the Boise State University Broncos, last year's BCS snub.
Also, congratulations to the University of Houston Cougars, who got a spot in the Liberty Bowl thanks to a 38-20 win against the University of Southern Mississippi Golden Eagles.

NFL: Week 13

It was an unlikely Week 13 for the New York Giants. Donning their red jerseys for their tilt against their NFC East division rival Dallas Cowboys, Big Blue thought a change in wardrobe would bring a change of luck and perhaps end their losing streak at three games. When all was said and done, the streak was extended to four, thanks to many a Giant penalty and a 46-yard field goal off the foot of recently-signed Martin Gramattica with one second to go. The Cowboys took full command of the division with a 23-20 win.
Another kicker who delivered a game-winner for his team was the Seattle Seahawks' Josh Brown, who nailed a 50-yarder for a win against the Denver Broncos by that same score.
Tennessee Titans footman Rob Bironas made a bit of history with his boot. A month and a half after Matt Bryant kicked a 61-yard field goal winner, Baronis split a 60-yarder through the uprights to give the Titans a nip-and-tuck 28-21 win against the Indianapolis Colts. This was also Bironas' second game-winner in as many weeks.
There's an old saying that goes, "The best offense is a great defense." The Chicago Bears exemplified that statement by getting most of their 23 points from the D in a 23-13 win against the Minnesota Vikings. This win, which gave the NFC North to Da Bears, also saw record-low passer ratings from both starting QBs. The Vikes' Brad Johnson had a 10.3 rating, while Bears counterpart Rex Grossman's was nine points lower. NINE POINTS LOWER, JERRY!!

The football with the round ball

Portsmouth's amazing run as the FA Premier League's Detroit Tigers continued Saturday with a 2-2 draw against Alex's Aston Villa.
With an Arab group looking to make a £450 million ($890 million, €667 million) investment to buy the club, Liverpool shut out Wigan, 4-0, and got into England's berth in the UEFA Cup.
What are the odds of a player scoring not once but twice on penalties? We may never know, but the latest to do so is Arsenal midfielder Gilberto Silva in a 3-0 three-point earner against North London rival Tottenham Hotspur.

NHL

The Buffalo Sabres continue their reign amongst the class of the NHL, scoring a 4-3 shootout win and sweeping the season series against the New York Rangers thanks to a goal by Daniel Briere.
Meanwhile, north of the border, the Montreal Canadiens extended their winning streak to six, getting the same type two points as the Sabres, but this time, against their traditional archrivals, the Toronto Maple Leafs.

NBA

An issue of bad karma, perhaps? Minnesota Timberwolves center Marko Jaric came into Friday night's game against the Denver Nuggets. The Wolves eventually lost, 106-92.
The weekend's nip-and-tuck match was the Chicago Bulls' 111-108 win against the New Orleans/Oklahoma City Hornets. Ben Gordon saved the day for the Bulls with a slam dunk shot with over two seconds to go in the game.

NCAA Basketball

It may not mean much to most of you readers out there, but I saw a game Saturday night that has now meant a great deal to college basketball fans in my neck of the woods. It was a game between Siena College and the University at Albany Great Danes. In short, it was a fairly intense nip-and-tuck game, but the Saints took the Albany Cup in a 76-75 wn over UAlbany thanks to a Jason Siegers missed three-pointer. If this was any longer, I'd've had to put this in the Game Recap section.
A team in NCAA Division III went on a scoring rampage in which it totaled more points than Siena, SUNY Albany, and this team's opponents combined. During the consolation game of the Salem Invitiational in Salem, Virginia, Lincoln University scored 104 points against Ohio State University-Marion ... IN THE SECOND HALF! The final score was 201-78, in favor of Lincoln. This was the biggest amount of points scored since 1992, when Troy State University scored 256 to DeVry Institute's 138, as well as the largest margin of victory in NCAA history. Lincoln guard Sami Wylie scored a game-record 69 points in the game, and the team hit 97 of 141 shots (which is roughly 69% from the floor). Just one question: Where was the defense?!

Another record breaker

Congratulations to thoroughbred jockey Russel Bazem, who became the all-time winningest jockey in horse racing history on Friday at Bay Meadows Racecourse outside San Francisco, California. Baze rode Butterfly Belle in the fourth race to surpass Laffit Pincay, Jr.'s record of 9,531 wins.