Armchair Weekend in Review (September 15-17, 2006)

by user JB82

Seperation Saturday in US College Football

Fortunately, no Division I-A teams played any Division I-AA teams this weekend. However, that didn't mean there wasn't a lack of upsets, either.

• The biggest pantsing of the weekend belonged to Lloyd Carr's University of Michigan Wolverines, who delivered a surprise 47-21 attack to Charlie Weis' Fighting Irish of the University of Notre Dame.
• The University of Louisville Cardinals got a Pyrrhic victory against the once-vaunted Hurricanes of the University of Miami. They beat the now virtually woebegotten Canes 31-7, but lost quarterback Brian Brohm's services for the next month to a month and a half. I'm not a gambling man, but I'm willing to bet that the cries for Larry Coker's head have been dramatically increased in Coral Gables. Talk about trouble in paradise...
• Did I say earlier that Michigan's win over Notre Dame was the weekend's biggest pantsing of the weekend? The University of Oregon Fighting Ducks' 34-33 upset win over the University of Oklahoma Sooners thanks to a blocked field goal at the end (and some questionable calls which went Oregon's way) gave the aforementioned tilt in South Bend a run for its money whereas upsets are concerned.
• No surprise here: Pete Carroll's University of Southern California Trojans remain undefeated thanks to a 28-10 win over the University of Nebraska.
• Another undefeated team so far this year is Urban Meyer's University of Florida Gators. After the University of Tennessee Volunteers gambled (and lost) by going for it on fourth down, the Gators capped a late rally with a Dallas Baker touchdown to seal the win 21-20.
• The Auburn University Tigers saved their own bacon against the Louisiana State University 7-3, thanks to a game saving tackle by Tigers safety Eric Brock.
• In Saturday's big snoozer, the Horned Frogs of Texas Christian University booted the Texas Tech University Red Raiders out of Fort Worth, 12-3.

Spotlight on the Guys Who Get Paid to Play

• When the fourth quarter of their contest against the Philadelphia Eagles began, things looked bleak for the New York Giants. Quarterback Eli Manning was getting knocked around left and right. The defense had more holes than a used car salesman's financing. Some of the G-Men's offensive line (and one of the team's assistant coaches) fought with Eagles kicker David Akers. The Giants players themselvesgot into a fit of infighting on the sidelines. And that was just during the first half. The G-Men were behind 24-7, and an 0-2 start hung over Big Blue like a dark cloud.
  • But then came the fourth quarter, and the Giants roared to life, socring 17 unanswered points to force the game into overtime. With three minutes left, Manning threw up a bomb and it landed in Plaxico Burress' hands and later both were in the end zone. Final score: Giants 30, Eagles 24.
• The Giants' Meadowlands co-tenants, the New York Jets, weren't as lucky. against the New England Patriots. Gang Green rallied back from a 24-0 deficit, only to have Chad Pennington's Hail Mary pass intercepted by the Pats as time expired and thereby lose the game 24-17.
• One reason why I cut Tampa Bay Buccaneers quarterback Chris Simms from my fantasy lineup? The Bucs offense getting shut out again and only getting a measly three points in another blowout, this time a 14-3 loss to the Atlanta Falcons.
• While Terrell Owens put himself out of commission for 2-4 weeks due to a broken ring finger, the Dallas Cowboys won a game they had to win, even against a cupcake like the Washington Redskins. Cowboys head coach Bill Parcells said that despite the win, he felt that the offensive line's miscues left him "sick". Could somebody give the Tuna a bottle of Pepto-Bismol before he lays stuff all over the locker room in two weeks?
• The Chicago Bears (and Rex Grossman) continue to surprise, thanks to making Detroit Lions wideout Roy Williams shove his "guarantee" down his throat, 34-7.
• Another surprise has been the New Orleans Saints, who improved to 2-0 with a 34-21 win over the festering Green Bay Packers. The Saints are in great shape as they await the Superdome's reopening next Monday night.

Meanwhile, across the Pond...

• The Premiership's answer to the New York Yankees-Boston Red Sox rivalry took place at Old Trafford on Sunday. The same day the Sox swept a doubleheader against the Yanks, Arsenal shut out Manchester United 1-0 on a goal by Emmanuel Adebayor. This was the first win this year for the Gunners. BTW, more on the Sox-Yanks rivalry shortly...
• In a wild return match of this year's FA Community Shield tilt, Chelsea got revenge on Liverpool thanks to a 42nd-minute strike by Didier Drogba. Ten minutes later, Lions teammate Michael Ballack got the gate after stepping on the knee of Reds striker Mohammed Sissoko.
• In a battle of FAPL newcomers, Reading edged Sheffield United 2-1.

MLB Heads Into the Home Stretch

• Back last month, the Yanks swept the Red Sox out of Fenway Park and virtually out of contention in the American League Eastern Division. You know that saying about payback? Well, that seemed to be the Sox' M.O. in the Bronx as they took 3 of four from the Bombers over the weekend. From where I sit, the Yanks will still clinch the division title for the ninth year in a row.
• The New York Mets arrived in Pittsburgh with their first National League Eastern Division title since 1988 so close they could almost taste it. However, they left the Steel City with a bad taste in their mouths and their champagne ice into cold water, which the Pittsburgh Pirates threw on the Metropolitans. The other Pennsylvania ball club, the Philadelphia Phillies, didn't help matters either, as they swept the Houston Astros in H-Town. BTW, on Sunday, Ryan Howard clubbed his 57th home run of the season.
• Congratulations to Washington Nationals slugger Alfonso Soriano, who joined the 40-40 club (40 home runs and 40 stolen bases in a season) on Saturday in an 8-5 win over the Milwaukee Brewers. Soriano joins an elite group which includes Jose Canseco, Barry Bonds and Alex Rodriguez. A somewhat motley crew, wouldn't you say?
• The Florida Marlins also made history on Sunday, but this is one milestone they'd rather give back. The Marlins scored four runs against the Atlanta Braves on Sunday, only to lose 8-7 in 10 innings. This was the first time since 1991 that something like this has happened.

Odds and Sods

• Kevin Harvick got the 2006 Chase for the NEXTEL Cup underway by taking the checkered flag at Loudon, New Hampshire on Sunday, his second in a row.
• Best wishes to three of the five players from the Duquesne University men's basketball team, including one who once played college ball in my neck of the woods: Kojo Mensah, who transferred from Siena College earlier this year after a bitter dispute between him and the university.
• Back to motorsports for just a moment: I failed to mention last week that our friend, Valentino Rossi, won last week at Malaysia. This week, fellow Italian Marco Melandri won the GMC Australian Grand Prix. American Nicky Hayden finished fifth, and currently holds a 21-point lead over Rossi in the standings with three races to go in the season.

That's all for this week

Until then, as always, let's all be good sports.

Date

Mon 09/18/06, 2:56 pm EST