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  TOP STORIES - DECEMBER 19, 2008  ARCHIE MANNING WORRIED SILLY ABOUT LIONS: Archie and the Saints have a little history when it comes to dealing with winless teams. It was the Saints who were the first to lose to the expansion Tampa Bay Buccaneers late in the 1977, with the Bucs breaking their modern-day record 26-game losing streak with three defensive touchdowns en route to a 33-14 victory at the Superdome - Manning believes a statement he made publicly in the week leading up to that game became bulletin board fodder for the Buccaneers. The Saints were also the last NFL team to start a season 0-14, they barely avoided NFL infamy by eking out a 21-20 at the New York Jets in the next-to-last game of the 1980 season. Which leads us to this weekend where the Saints, now out of playoff contention and without Reggie Bush, trudge into snowbound Detroit, where they could be perfect targets for a Lions team who have been very competitive in recent weeks. Current Saints QB Drew Brees says he will not make the mistake of taking the Lions lightly, noting that by watching film that the Lions will be anything but a pushover. Should the Lions lose this week, the teams final chance of avoiding the dream many sadists are rooting for would come in Green Bay, as much as the Packers have skidded it should also be known that the Lions franchise has not won in the state of Wisconsin since 1991. We note Wisconsin since that losing streak dates so long that it includes home games the Packers used to play in Milwaukee.BILLY SIMS APOLOGIZES FOR 'BOOMER' OUTBURST: The drill down in Norman is that when someone yells 'Boomer' that someone else should reply with 'Sooner'. After a week of getting BBQ'd in the press, 1978 Heisman winner Billy Sims now formally apologizes to anyone he may have offended during last weekend's award ceremony. In a scene that has already taken it's place in sound-byte history, Sims yells 'Boomer' 11 times as Sam Bradford made his way to the stage to accept College Football's highest honor. Sims' ninth and tenth call of 'Boomer' finally was meet with a 'Sooner' by Bradford and 2003 winner Jason White. Sims says he will continue to be an enthusiastic spokesman for the university and explained that he was especially happy for Sam since father Kent Bradford was a teammate of Sims at OU. Myself I wouldn't have necessarily had called Sims antics a high crime. BASEBALL MOURNS LOSS OF DAVE SMITH: 1980's Astros closer died unexpectedly in his San Diego-area home at age 53 this week. Smith pitched 11 years in the majors and holds the Houston records for games pitched and is also second in franchise history with 199 saves and was a two-time All-Star. Smith also served as a coach in the San Diego Padres organization from 1994 to 2001. Known as an avid surfer, plans are for his fellow surfers to scatter his ashes in the San Diego surf. FORMER WWE JOBBER DEAD AT 37: It is the most thankless job in wrestling, the designated opponent against established talent in TV television matches - the task is simple, look good while getting punished and lose, and obviously the pay for being on the receiving end of nightly pain is not good. That was the life of Mike 'Mad Dog' Bell, who has died while at a Southern California rehab facility. Mike Bell, along with brother Chris Bell, battled painkiller and alcohol addiction which was featured in a recent documentary called 'Bigger, Faster, Stronger'. A statement from World Wrestling Entertainment said 'Although Mr. Bell was never under a WWE contract, WWE extends its deepest condolences to the Bell family'. He'll get the bell rung three times before the start of the next show and life goes on, as wrestling's death toll adds another member. THINGS GETTING UGLIER FOR BRIAN GILES??? Padres outfielder sued for $10 million yesterday by ex-girlfriend who alleges she was beaten during her relationship to the ballplayer, ultimately resulting in a miscarriage. Now a videotape released this week shows Giles allegedly assaulting the woman in an Arizona bar in 2006. Several witnesses that night told police that they watched Giles slap the woman in the head. In the surveillance video, one of the witnesses can be seen mimicking a slap to another bar patron. The woman claims she miscarried with Giles' baby in 2002 and miscarried again earlier this year when Giles allegedly threw her down a hallway. The woman claims to have beat beaten numerous times during the seven year relation, not to defend Giles, but if true, what is she doing hanging around with anyone allegedly like that for that long??  ANGER MANAGEMENT TO RESOLVE 2006 CHARGE: Giles was required to complete anger-management counseling as part of the deal in exchange for the case being dropped, according to Phoenix DA office GILES MAKING THINGS WORSE BY NOT COMMENTING: Writer in this story says Giles silence is taken by many as an admission of guilt.WAR WE DON'T LIKE THIS HIRE: Charles Barkley the latest to express his displeasure over Auburn's football hire, saying that the selection of Iowa State's Gene Chizik over Buffalo's Turner Gill had racial overtures. Actually, 5-19 coaching Iowa St. should always trump anything accomplished in the MAC.  STEVE WILLIAMS TALKS!!! With may too much time on his hands while Tiger Woods is on the mend, the caddie who is more well-know than most rank-and-file Tour players says that he doesn't consider Phil Mickelson to be a great player because he hates the 'prick', adding that no, he and Tiger indeed don't get along. I'm also assuming that Steve and Phil are not on each other's Christmas card list - Williams says he was indeed quoted accurately, but that the comment was never intended for public consumption, that he said it at a charity event. Did not know that someone being a 'prick' necessarily eliminates one from being considered good at his profession. When told of Williams' comments, Lefty responded 'After seeing Steve Williams' comments all I could think of was how lucky I am to have a class act like Bones (the second most-well known caddie on the planet) on my bag and representing me'... And One - perhaps with his cut from Tiger's winnings Williams' can buy himself a personality.ARENA FOOTBALL DOES CANCEL 2009 SEASON: Despite the league's statements last week that reports of scrapping the upcoming season were untrue, Arena Football does indeed shut down for the 2009 season - while the league maintains that it's 'developing a long-term plan to improve its economic model' - perhaps like shutting down for good??? What is interesting however is that I was hearing promotions yesterday for a team called the Milwaukee Iron, they are to begin play in Arena Football 2, the feeder league of the AFL. According to the research I have done, AF2 teams do have a schedule out for the 2009 season and are conduction tryouts - so it appears their season will be a go. My question is doesn't Arena Football 2 become Arena Football 1 when Arena Football 1 shuts down??? And there are other scattered Indoor Football Leagues around, so their will still be places for aspiring football players this spring, but don't look for anyone to be able to make a daytime job off it.  YANKEES LAND A.J. BURNETT: Five years, $82.5 million pending physical. YANKEES ASKED FOR MONEY FROM BREWERS IN TRADE PROPOSAL!?!? Brewers were to send veteran Mike Cameron for Melky Cabrera but became angry when the Yankees asked Milwaukee to ask to include cash to help cover of Cameron's $10 million salary for next season, which of course is chump change after the money just doled out to sign CC and now Burnett. MERCEDES DROPS SPONSORSHIP WITH BREWERS: Guess it's a good thing the team didn't re-sgin CC. Mercedes had held naming rights for the last three seasons to a picnic-style party area just beyond the right field fence that is considered to be a 'very prominent piece of real estate' at Miller Park. The Brewers have other car sponsorships with Toyota and Chevy, the team expects those relationships to continue. WAR HEADED OUT OF AUSTIN?? UT DEFENSIVE COORDINATOR RUMORED FOR AUBURN JOB: Will Muschamp was recently named as Texas's coach-in-waiting for whenever Mack Brown decides to retire in a deal that saw Muschamp's salary double to $900,000 - the purpose was to keep what would be one of the nation's hottest coordinators out of the head coaching rumormill. That sure lasted long, as Muschamp is now fending off reports that he is about to become Auburn's next head coach. Muschamp just came to Texas from Auburn in the last year, which gives some logic to the possibility. F1 LATEST SPORT TO TIGHTEN IT'S BELT: After losing Honda as one of it's suppliers earlier in the month, Formula One's governing body announces a sweeping series of cost-cutting measures, including longer-lasting engines, limits on expensive testing and cheaper, and off-the-shelf engines for smaller teams. Each driver will now only be allowed eight engines for the entire season, each one must be used for at least three races. Teams will also get four additional engines for testing. Testing will also only be allowed at the track on race weekends. Changes for 2010 and beyond could even be more radical, including the possibility of shortened races.  OUT OF FOCUS - DALY SMASHES SPECTATOR'S CAMERA Golf fan Brad Clegg getting Steve Bartman-like run after 'controversial' (that's from the wire copy) golfer John Daly smashes his camera against a tree during a temper tantrum on Daly's final hole of a 'horror first round' (again, from the wire copy) at the Australian Open. Daly ripped the camera from Clegg while searching for the ball from an errant tee shot. Clegg says his memory card survived, and the last image shows a 'pale and clearly angry Daly ready to explode.' Meanwhile tourney organizers say they will not sanction the 'controversial' one. Let me get this right, an athlete in another sport gets into a confrontation with a fan, and provided the fan isn't TOTALLY asking for it, the player would be looking at some time off - once again golf tournaments enjoy the freak show, JD will be getting sponsors exemptions until he is six feet under. Oh, and here's another article saying JD wrote in his book that he lost '$50-60 million' gambling, or about nearly three years worth of CC Sabathia's new salary - more proof that someone can throw it all away no matter how much money one may have - has JD ever thought of actually 'winning' a wager. Time for someone to write another JD 'need an intervention' article, which has not been written in at least three weeks. TEXAS LAWMAKER INTRODUCES LEGISLATION TO END BCS: Actually I thought Texas might try to secede from the Union after being left out of the BCS. Taking aim at a system that he says 'consistently misfires, Rep. Joe Barton of Texas plans to introduce legislation that would FORCE college football to adopt a playoff to determine a national champion. A ranking Republican on the House Energy and Commerce Committee, Barton's bill is being co-sponsored by an Illinois Democrat (friend of Blago???) and another Texas Republican. REPORT - CC TO THE BRONX: After being courted on the West Coast for three days by GM Brian Cashman, the New York Post is reporting that CC Sabathia has indeed decided to accept tan increased offer of seven years/$161 million from the New York Yankees, where he will apparently continue to let his hitting skills go to waste hitting in the American League. The contract also has an out clause, where Sabathia can get out after three years and earning $69 million. And more good news for Milwaukee, as the rumor mill has the organization looking to also ship first baseman Prince Fielder.  BRADFORD BECOMES ROLE MODEL TO NATIVE COMMUNITY: In a Heisman race that contains nothing but sheer class, the only shame is that two of the three finalist will not come away with the hardward. Sam Bradford is part of the 11 percent of Oklahoma's population that is considered Native American - Bradford is 1/16 Cherokee, by comparison baseball Hall of Famer and fellow Oklahoman Johnny Bench is 1/8 Cherokee. Even though the family's suburban upbringing is not typical of the struggles many Native Americans face, Bradford's possible Heisman winning/national title winning campaign has captured the attention of his race, with some going as far to place Bradford in the same breath as Jim Thorpe and Olympic running legend Billy Mills. In addition to his football exploits, Bradford also carries a 3.95 GPA (one B in three years) and is a one-handicap golfer. According to NCAA statistics, Native Americans only account for 0.4 percent of college football players, and Bradford is believed to be the first Native to start at quarterback in major college football since Sonny Sixkiller starred at Washington in the early 1970's. Other notable Native Americans currently in sports include baseball's Joba Chamberlain and Jacoby Ellsbury.NHL WEIGHS ECONOMIC CONCERNS: Another day, more talk about the recession hitting professional sports. Despite TV ratings and arena attendance being on the upswing, the NHL is nonetheless bracing itself for taking a hit with the current economic downturn. Although most of the 30 franchises are considered healthy, the Buffalo Sabres and Phoenix Coyotes are identified as franchises that could have a tough road ahead financially, as well as possibly the storied Detroit Red Wings franchise, as the Detroit market continues to combat the woes of the U.S. automobile industry. HOUSTON HAS A PROBLEM: They regretted that Miguel Tejada trade since about five minutes after they made it last year - suddenly finding the organization strapped for money, the Houston Astros are desperately trying to find a taker for Tejada as well as closer Jose Valverde, who is due a substantial raise. The Astros are especially hurting after the franchise recently lost two of it's biggest sponsors, a car dealership that folded as well as AIG insurance, who the Astros have also parted ways with, which is more than what can be said about Manchester United.COULD ILLINOIS GOVERNORS ARREST AFFECT CUBS SALE??? The stunning arrest of Illinois Gov. Rod Blagojevich on bribery charges for llegedly trying to sell Barack Obama's open U.S. Senate seat could have wide-sweeping ramifications, including the Tribune Corporations attempts to sell the Chicago Cubs. Included in the charges are said to be records that the Governor told Cubs ownership that he would not help the team avoid capital gains tax unless the team fired certain members of the Tribune organization that had been critical of him in the news media.  FORGOTTEN GREATNESS - FORMER NBC ANALYST WINS FORD FRICK AWARD: Longtime TV fixture Tony Kubek (shown here from 1997) is this year's recipient of the Ford Frick Award and will be inducted at the Baseball Hall of Fame next summer. After having to retire from the New York Yankees in 1965, Kubek began a run as analyst for Game of the Week telecasts, his tenure lasting until NBC lost the rights in 1989. Kubek also worked on Toronto Blue Jays broadcasts from 1977 to 1989 and with the Yankees from 1990-94. Considered amongst the best network analysts ever, Kubek stepped away from baseball following the 1994-95 work stoppage and says he has not watched or listened to a game on TV or radio since - which was a huge loss for the game. By the way, Tim McCarver comes nowhere close to what Kubek was.MORE ECONOMIC SPORTS WOES, ECHL TEAM FOLDS: Short on $200,000 cash to stay on the ice, the East Coast Hockey League's Augusta Lynx turned over the team to the league's Board of Governors, who in turn shut down the Georgia-based franchise. While it's not unusual for minor league hockey teams to go out of business, this marks the first time in ECHL history that a team has disbanded during the season. LAYOFFS HIT MLB.COM: Major League Baseball Advanced Media announces layoffs to 20 of it's 450 person staff, although some close to the situation says the number could be as high as 30, which would be nearly seven percent of it's current staff. MLBAM says in a statement that they plan on focusing on their core product on not on the studio. Among those getting a pink slip was a reporter who covered the World Champion Philadelphia Phillies this past season. NFL OFFICE TO CUT 10 PERCENT OF IT'S WORKFORCE: The layoff news seems to be coming by the minute now, as the NFL announces it is cutting more than 10 percent of its headquarters staff, eliminating about 150 of its staff of 1,100 in New York, as well as NFL Films in addition to television and Internet production facilities in Los Angeles. The cuts will take place over the next 60 days, with volunteers to be offered 'a voluntary separation program.' Although not suffering at the gate this year, the worry out of NFL headquarters is that this year's tickets were bought before the economy turned sour. |
