Armchair Weekend in Review (December 15-17, 2006)
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by user JB82
What a way for the AWIR to close out 2006 in its weekly format! A busy three days all around, so let's get to it before we get some Christmas (Holiday) cheer.
NFL: Week 15
- We start in the AFC, where the New England Patriots cruised past the Houston Texans, 40-7. Bill Belichick's squad recovered very nicely from their shutout last week at Miami thanks to an Ellis Hobbs 93-yard kickoff return for a touchdown.
- However, the New York Jets put the Pats' AFC East celebration on hold thanks to a 26-13 win over the Minnesota Vikings.
- No Steve McNair, no problem for the Baltimore Ravens. Kyle Boller, the starter before McNair came to the Charm City, went 13 for 27and threw for 238 yards and two scores as the old Cleveland Browns beat their younger counterparts (i.e., the Browns which were founded in 1999), 27-17, and inched one step closer to a playoff berth (and maybe the AFC North title.)
- The Denver Broncos kept their playoff prospects alive by beating the Arizona Cardinals, 37-20, in a battle of rookie quarterbacks (Jay Cutler and Matt Leinart, respectively.)
- Meanwhile, in Nashville, the Tennessee Titans' offense was no match for the defense of the Jacksonville Jaguars. But, as the saying goes, the best offense is a great defense, and the Titans gave Jags QB David Garrard a shellacking he won't soon forget, and returned three sizeable interceptions from 83, 92, and 61 yards for touchdowns in a 24-17 win.
- Is there anything to say about LaDainian Tomlinson that hasn't been said already? The San Diego Chargers running back broke a rather obscure record in Sunday night's 20-9 win over the Kansas City Chiefs: LT broke the record for points scored in a season (he has scored 186 so far this year) while running for 199 yards on 25 carries. The previous record holder was the Green Bay Packers' Paul Hornung, who scored 176 during the 1960 campaign. Pending the outcome of tonight's game between the Cincinnati Bengals and the Indianapolis Colts, the Bolts could get a first-round bye.
- In an example of the concept of "addition by subtraction", the New Orleans Saints lost to the Washington Redskins, 16-10, but still clinched the NFC South. Why, you ask:
- One of the events was to have both the Atlanta Falcons and Carolina Panthers lose. We'll get to the Falcons game later, but the Panthers helped in the Saints' cause with a 37-3 beatdown at the hands of the Pittsburgh Steelers. This game featured Steelers kick returner Santonio Holmes fumble a punt return, but was given another try thanks to a false start penalty on the Panthers. The second attempt was much successful, as Holmes ran 65 yards for paydirt in the Steelers' 37-3 romp.
- The Chicago Bears got a nice early Christmas gift thanks to the Saints' defeat: home field advantage throughout the playoffs. Santa Claus came in the form of Bears kicker Robbie Gould, who booted a 25-yard chip shot field goal in a 34-31 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Buccaneers.
- In a game which was definitely void of playoff complications, Brett Favre made history as he passed Dan Marino for most completions all-time. Despite three interceptions, the Green Bay Packers quarterback got his 4,968th career completion on a 21-yard Carlyle Holiday reception. He also threw for a paltry 174 yards on the day.
Football and fútbol
- With the bigger Division I preparing for the annual bowl game blitz, the OTHER Division I (formerly Division I-AA) crowned its champion. The Appalachian State University defeated the University of Massachusetts Minutemen, 28-17. The loss was not taken well in Amherst; there were reports of rioting in the little community north of Springfield afterwards.
- For those of you who like to keep track of the "Curse of Christmas", which is the possibility that the bottom three clubs in the FAPL at Yuletide will be relegated to the Football League Championship next season, the three teams in danger are West Ham and Charlton, as well as Watford, who looks as thought they will have a short stay in the top flight.
Saturday
Not to sound egotistical or anything, but Saturday was a special day for this reporter, as he celebrated his birthday. While he was enjoying the day in his own manner, here is a somewhat chronological look at the day's highlights (and lowlights) in the sports world – both here and abroad.
- The first of two Merseyside-London matches on the weekend was decided at The Valley, as defending FA Cup champion Liverpool shut out Charlton 3-0, thanks to goals by Xabi Alonso and Steven Gerrard.
- We all know that the rivalry between Duke University and the University of North Carolina is the firecest rivalry in all of college basketball. Number two is arguably that between the University of Kentucky and the University of Louisville. Tubby Smith's Wildcats added another chapter into that rivalry, as freshman guard Jodie Meeks put in 18 points in a 61-49 over Rick Pitino's Cardinals. With two older players struggling, it was good to see youth stepping up in this one.
- Another weekend, another step closer to history for Bob Knight. The General amassed career win number 878 as his Texas Tech University Red Raiders beat the University of Arkansas Razorbacks, 71-56, in a game where the Raiders started off on an 18-0 run.
- Congratulations to the Grand Valley State University Lakers. The perennial New York Yankees of NCAA Division II football went undefeated and won their fourth championship in five years 17-14 over Northwest Missouri State University.
- Meanwhile, in Salem, Virginia, the Mount Union College Raiders defeated the University of Wisconsin-Whitewater Warhawks, 35-16, for their ninth Division III title.
- Butler University's magic carpet ride of a season continues. Further edification came with a 68-65 win over the Purdue University Boilermakers in the final of the Wooden Tradition. The 18th-ranked Bulldogs beat Purdue, the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, and Indiana University Hoosiers in a season for the first time since 1948.
- Back to those who play for pay: The Dallas Cowboys got closer to a playoff spot as well as the NFC East title. Michael Vick may have thrown for four touchdowns in the game, but it was America's Team that bested the Atlanta Falcons, 38-28. However, the game was marred by Cowboys wideout Terrell Owens hawking a loogie into the face of Falcs cornerback DeAngelo Hall. Also, there were two records broken, as Vick set the new mark for yards rushing by a quarterback in league history (990) and Dane placekicker Morten Andersen passed South African Gary Anderson (obviously no relation) for most points scored in league history (2,635).
- MONDAY EXTRA #1: The NFL has since fined Owens $35,000 for the aforementioned incident.
- A larger-scale episode of Athletes Behaving Badly took place at Madison Square Garden that same night.
- With about a minute to go, the Denver Nuggets were on their way to a win over the New York Knicks. However, the game changed complexion drastically as Knicks guard Mardy Collins horsecollared his Nuggets counterpart J.R. Smith. Words were exchanged and shortly thereafter, the trouble began. Smith and Nate Robinson wrestled each other courtside. Shades of the infamous Malice at the Palace a few years back.
- Just as cooler heads were ready to prevail, Denver's Carmelo Anthony gave a roundhouse right to Collins, and the latter's teammate, Jared Jeffries, gave chase. Order was eventually restored and ten players (exaclty five a side) were given the gate.
- MONDAY EXTRA #2: NBA Commisioner David Stern meted out the punishments two days later and they are as follows (in order of severity):
- For Denver:
- Anthony: suspended 15 games
- Smith: suspended ten games
- Nenê: suspended one game for fleeing the bench to help out in the fight
- For the Knicks:
- Robinson: suspended ten games
- Collins: suspended six games
- Jeffries: four games
- Jerome James: same punishment as Nenê
- For Denver:
- Also, both teams were fined half a million dollars each, and both coaches got off scot-free, much to Knicks head coach Isiah Thomas' relief and Nuggets head man George Karl's chagrin.
The Last Word: 2006
That's it for another week and, sadly, for the year 2006. But before I make way for two more voting rounds in next week's year end double issue, I would like to say a few words about my involvement with AGM and how it evolved as the year progressed.
I made my debut back in March by breaking the story of the NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament pairings. The following month, I began this series of articles, which has featured my take on the weekend's actions, with no fanfare whatsoever. It has since become an expected part of the website an for a time, attracted some competition. Once focused on the American sports scene, I later incorporated tidbits from abroad, starting with a mention of Liverpool clinching the FA Cup in a penalty shootout back in May.
And the rest is just details. All I can say is that it's been quite a ride. To all our readers, wherever you are, we here at AWIR World Headquarters wish you and yours all the best during the holiday season. Regardless of how you celebrate, please do it responsibly. We'll need you in 2007.
Oh, by the way, let's all be good sports.
