Hump Day Headlines

In this week's Hump Day Headlines, we discuss the Netherlands shocking upset of the Dominicans, LaDainian Tomlinson's choice to stick with San Diego, Roger Clemens' roiding, and what Cleveland State's win means for the NCAA bubble...

• Apparently they play baseball in the Netherlands. Who knew? Actually, the team is comprised of a lot of players from Dutch Territories and a couple players who's ancestry may have included someone who knew someone Dutch. Either way, their stunning upsets of the Dominican Republic have sent La Republica home and Rik Smits' countrymen to the second round in Miami. The Dominican team had a team loaded with major league superstars, such as Jose Reyes, Hanley Ramirez, David Ortiz and Miguel Tejada. The Netherlands had, who, exactly? Some guy named Kingsale, Sidney Ponson, and a man better known for beating running sausages than anything else. Talk about your David vs. Goliath type match-up. La Republica's roster was collectively making more than $83 million, while the Dutchmen were making a combined $0.4 million. There were 23 major-leaguers on the Dominican team, and just two on the Netherlands. The fact that David was able to win twice though really is something. The Dominicans were a favorite to win the World Baseball Classic, and why not? They had a team full of stars! How is it that a team with six pitchers I've never heard of combined to shut down a lineup filled with not only major league players, but star players last night? Unreal. Maybe the Dutch will start playing more baseball, which I guess is one of Bud Selig's goals: globalize the game.
• Ladainian Tomlinson is returning to the Chargers after all. The star running back must really love playing in San Diego, because I'm not sure I could work for an arrogant jerk like GM A.J. Smith. Then again, with the weather and the Pacific Ocean in the backdrop I could probably be persuaded. So could Tomlinson too, apparently, as team president Dean Spanos was apparently able to smooth over the strained relationship between the running back and the organization. This ultimately allowed the restructuring of Tomlinson's contract to happen. He'll make a bit more than back up back Darren Sproles, who was franchised this off season. This deal had to happen for the Chargers. If Tomlinson wanted out the Chargers just wouldn't be as good. Granted, Tomlinson's numbers weren't all-world last year like they usually are. But he's crucial to a team that has flirted with greatness in the AFC for awhile now. Good job by the Chargers, and by Tomlinson for getting the deal done.
• Here's a story that's not surprising. Federal authorities found that the syringes, vials and gauze pads used on Roger Clemens that Brian McNamee supplied investigators all had performance enhancing drugs on them. Shocking! As we have mentioned before, there was no reason for McNamee to lie, because the man just doesn't want to live his life behind bars. Clemens on the other hand, could end up behind bars, since he has denied steroid use under oath. The Rocket still maintains that he was only injected with lidocaine and B-12. Apparently that's not the case, according to these tests, and the DNA found in the blood on the syringes (reported February 6th int he Washington Post). "I assumed, and I am not surprised, that the tests were positive for both DNA and for performance-enhancing drugs, because that's what Brian said all along, and there's not much doubt that Brian's been telling the truth," Richard Emery, the attorney for McNamee told the AP. "The confirmation of that fact, once again, just seems to me to be another significant step towards jail for Clemens." I agree.
• With Cleveland State's win over 17th-ranked Butler, two Horizon league teams will be heading to the NCAA tournament. That means bad news for the bubble dwellers, who can only hope this week that as few surprise teams as possible force their way into the field of 65. Other than their big win over Syracuse on that 60-foot 3-pointer in December, Cleveland State's tournament resume wasn't good enough to make the dance otherwise. Their other quality wins were against...well, nobody. So now teams like Florida, South Carolina, Kentucky, Northwestern, San Diego State and the like will need to make big moves in their conference tournaments, even more so now than before. And they'll have to sweat out every conference championship the rest of the week. The next few days are why we love college basketball. Teams are fighting for that chance to dance. And then next week begins the glory that is the tournament, with non-stop basketball action for four straight days. Ahh how I love it.
• Bonus Point: Did anyone see that Tennessee football coach Lane Kiffin told a recruit that if he goes to the University of South Carolina he'll end up pumping gas like everyone else there? I've said in the past Lane Kiffin is a moron. I don't think I need to say it again, do I? This guy better win a lot of games for those rocky toppers down there. If he doesn't, what a total loser this guy is.

Hump Day Headlines

In this week's Hump Day Headlines, we discuss power crazy football executives, home court perfection, Kelvin Sampson, and Super Sunday...

• Good for LaDainian Tomlinson. He wants to return to San Diego despite the fact his General Manager is one of the biggest blowhards in sports. This he said in an interview in Tampa on ESPN's "Jim Rome is Burning". Chargers GM A.J. Smith mocked Tomlinson publicly this week when the All-Pro running back was quoted on his blog reiterating to media that he had no intentions of leaving the Chargers. Tomlinson then had to read that his GM made almost an identical quote regarding LaDainian's status to the San Diego Union Tribune. That had Tomlinson publicly confused and it lead linebacker Shawne Merriman to lash out at Smith, saying "That [stuff] doesn't help bring a Super Bowl to San Diego...and that [stuff] needs to stop, period. It needs to stop now." Smith has since responded by apologizing to L.T., telling the Chargers team website that it was important to him that Tomlinson knew "exactly what happened." So let me get this straight, A.J. You mocked your star player publicly, because you're an arrogant, power-crazed jerk, and now you're trying to save face? Good for L.T. that he wants to remain loyal to the Charger fans that adore him. But if that were me? I'd demand a trade.
• The Cleveland Cavaliers are unbeatable at home. That's not an opinion. That's a fact. With last night's win over the miserable Kings, the fighting Bron-Brons are now 21-0 at the Quicken Loans Arena. That is pretty remarkable. The next best home records in the NBA this year are the only two teams with comparable records to the Cavs overall. Boston is 22-2 at the TD Bank North Garden, and the Lakers are 23-3 at the Staples Center. The best home record in NBA History is 40-1, accomplished by the 67-15 Celtics at the old Boston Garden between 1985-1986. (The 95-96 Bulls that went 72-10, the best overall record in NBA regular season history, went 39-2 at the United Center.) If the Cavaliers keep up this torrid pace, they could be the most dangerous team in the playoffs this year. If you knew the team never lost at home, would you want to play there in a playoff series? I don't think so.
• Kelvin Sampson is appealing his five year ban from college basketball coaching, as reported by the Indianapolis Star. The former Indiana basketball coach was give then "show cause penalty", meaning that he can't get hired by another school unless that school convinces the powers that be that he should be allowed back. I guess assistant coaching the Eastern Conference's eight-seeded Bucks isn't doing it for Mr. Sampson. Sampson was pink-slipped in the first place because he and his assistants made more than 100 illegal phone calls to recruits. Apparently these recuits he racked up the phone bill trying to land aren't so great after all, considering IU basketball is the worst in the Big Ten this year. At 5-13 overall and as the only team winless in the conference (0-6), new coach Tom Crean will have some work to do. The program seems to be in good hands though, considering how well Crean's former club Marquette is doing this year.
• Oh yeah, I should probably mention something about the Super Bowl here since that is a recurring headline this week in sports. Yesterday we had the Media Day, which really wasn't all that great, but as Scott chronicled Tuesday, it can at least be entertaining. Here are the storylines I think you'll hear about most as we head towards Super Sunday: Larry Fitzgerald's father is a sportswriter who is covering his son at the game. The star wideout also attended college at Pittsburgh. Is Kurt Warner a Hall of Famer if he wins the Super Bowl? Mike Tomlin is the 3rd African-American coach to lead his team to the Super Bowl. Ken Whisenhunt is the former Steelers offensive coordinator. What ever happened to Matt Leinart? Are Anquan Boldin and offensive coordinator Todd Haley still fighting? The Cardinals are the sports team with the longest championship drought of any sports franchise other than my Chicago Cubs. (A tear just rolled down my face) Can the Cardinals cover the seven point spread? Get ready for Super Sunday...

The Monday Morning Longsnapper

Worst Player on a Good Team Edition

It's easy to pick on him, but I can't help it:  Tavaris Jackson plain stinks.  He just isn't a good quarterback, and you don't need to be a film coach to see it.  He has awful technique (he drops his arm when he throws, rarely squares up, and often stares down the same receivers), and he's wildly inaccurate.

His only saving graces (only!) are that he can occasionally throw a deep ball, and he can run a bit.  But, he only can do the former so often, and seems unwilling to do the latter enough.  

Yesterday's Wild Card game between TJ's Vikings and the Eagles was difficult to watch at points, if only because you sort of got the feeling that Jackson wasn't ever going to be able to do much.  It was as if he'd lost a bet, and someone told him, for the next few years, you have to go out and embarrass yourself in front of millions of people a year, because we all know you can't play in the NFL.  Even if it's amazingly apparent that you can't play, you can't quit, no matter what.

Now, hear me out (or, in this case, read me out), I'm not solely going off this one game.  I've seen him play before, and, frankly, I couldn't figure out why he was playing those other times.  The pass he threw to Asante Samuels (I have trouble calling it an interception because I'm of the belief that it was intended more for Samuels than Sidney Rice) was just pathetic.  Don't even start with this nonsense that he was hit as he threw, it was just one of his many awful, off-target throws.  That one though, just happened to swing the momentum of the game in the favor of the opponents.

Yesterday, Jackson connected with his receivers at a clip of under 43%.  Come on, already.  Do this kid a favor, find someone else to play quarterback.

• From that same game, the one guy that will likely never get the credit he deserves is Kevin Curtis, for two reasons.  First, he's a wideout on a team that hasn't had a popular one since you-know-who.  Second, he's a white wideout, which makes him quite the rarity, to where he'd need to be as good as, say, Wes Welker, to get a national bit of clout.  Which, he isn't, at least not in the Eagles system.  Point is, Curtis is a solid wideout that most people likely don't pay attention to.  Also, he can do little things, like block downfield.  Just check that Brian Westbrook screen pass run again.  Yes, that is Mr. Curtis flattening a Viking DB downfield (white guy, number 80) to spring Westbrook.
• Ed Reed may not be the best safety ever, but he has to be one of the best ball-hawk safeties ever.  He's a better receiver than about half of the clowns actually playing that position in the league.
• Chad Pennington was simply over matched yesterday.  Chad's a calculated quarterback, one that's made his living in the league with short passes, quick routes, and nearly impossible-to-miss targets.  Occasionally, he'll go more than 15 yards down the field, but, his strong suit is within the first down markers, and letting his wideouts do the rest.  Yesterday, down by a bunch early, he couldn't do that.  The Ravens, a-la what the Eagles would later do to Tavaris Jackson, wouldn't stop picking on Pennington.  Blitzing, applying constant pressure, and making Pennington throw the ball where he didn't (and couldn't) want to.  It was especially rough, when you consider that the entire season, Pennington had only thrown 7 INTs.
• I had it predicted right, at least partially.  I said the Chargers would have success on the ground, I was just wrong about who it was that would have that success.  Backup Darren Sproles, who nearly set a record for most all-purpose yards, just tore it up after LT couldn't go with a groin injury.  Sproles isn't your prototypical back, listed at only 5'6", 181.  But, he can motor, and he's quick on a dime.  Not sure what his future is, but, this is only the beginning of the death knoll for Tomlinson.  His days as a top notch back are over.  He'll have a few good games sprinkled in, here and there, but, elite is now a past tense word for him.

Everything You Need To Get Ready for Wild Card Weekend

Saturday Edition

The first round of playoff football is finally upon us, after 17 weeks of watching battling, and playoff jockeying, and eventual choking, the supposed cream of the crop, the league's best 12, have risen to the top.  Eight of them square off this weekend, in a battle for the right to move on to face teams that are way, way better than them.

Falcons (+1) @ Cardinals

First of all, if you saw this one coming, pat yourself firmly and squarely on the back.  Matter of fact, have someone else do it so you don't have to do any more work.  Well done.

Second of all, this one should be a fun one, if only because it's something new.  Don't get me wrong, Colts/Chargers is compelling, and has provided great playoff drama in the past.  However, as most baseball fans agree, Yankees/Red Sox games get a little boring after the 100th time.  Point is, this game features some new playoff blood, both teams haven't been here in a bit.  Both teams feature offenses that can put up points in an absolute hurry.  

The rub, as they say in the movies, comes from two pointed differences in these two teams. First, both are quite prone to giving up yards, however, the Cards are in the bottom 5 in the league in points allowed per contest at just under 30.  The other problem Arizona faces is that they couldn't have played much worse football down the stretch of the season to "tune up" for the playoffs.  After a hot 7-3 start, the Cardinals dropped four of six, and at least 35 points in every loss.

Atlanta, on the other hand, finished the season 5-1, with impressive victories against Carolina and Tampa Bay, and at Minnesota and at San Diego.  We all know that Matt Ryan's a rookie QB, and how rare that is for him to be starting a playoff game (only 3 other guys have done it, and one was Shaun King).  That said, he hasn't Joe Flacco'd his way through this season.  Ryan's had to carry an offense at times, not simply manage it.  And, as the team's success indicates, he's done a pretty damn good job.  With such a small line, I'm going with Atlanta, behind one of the league's best new running backs Michael Turner and star rookie QB Matt Ryan.

Scott's Pick: Falcons  Jordan's Pick: Falcons

Colts (-1) @ Chargers

Before we get into this one, is there a more blatant example that the idea of division winners getting automatic home field in the first round is absolutely moronic?  Here's a San Diego team that backed into the playoffs, largely due to Denver's never ending, confounding incompetence.  All Indy's been doing since Week 9 is winning, plain and simple.

Then again though, LaDainian Tomlinson did look mighty spry against that Denver D.  Now, that is a swiss cheese defense, no one's doubting that, but, for the first time in a while, LT looked like his old self again, making cutbacks, exploding into the open field. Indy's been susceptible to the run game this year (122 ypg), so if Tomlinson's feeling good again, this one could be swung to the home team.

Still though, it is hard to pick against a team that's won nine straight and has the league MVP, unless, you're negative and you're constantly waiting for the other shoe to drop.  

But, if we may for just a second, let's take a look at that nine game winning streak.  Credit where credit is due, Indy did beat Pittsburgh on the road and New England at home.  However, of the other seven games, not one was against a winning record (if you take out a meaningless win against Tennessee in the final week of the season).  Houston, San Diego, Cleveland, Cincy, Detroit and Jacksonville all had under-500 records at the time they faced the Colts.  Cleveland, Cincy, Detroit and Jacksonville just happen to be four of the worst teams in the NFL.  Not so impressive now, huh?

And so, I'm going with San Diego, if only because I want to see a last gasp effort out of LT and finally see Philip Rivers get some credit.  He had the year of his life, and it's not nearly talked about as much as it should be.  I expect he and LT to step up big time, because they're going to need it in this one. 

Scott's Pick:  Chargers  Jordan's Pick:  Colts

It's Easy To Be Valuable

Just as it's difficult to be a valuable member of your team, it's equally difficult to be incredibly useless.

By useless, of course, I'm not referring to that long snapper on your team, or some 8th string kicker. No, I'm talking about a player that is either supposed to be good, was good, or the team was counting on to be good, but, for whatever reason other than horrific injury, simply didn't not perform. At all.

Peyton Manning won the league's MVP on Friday, an award most fans are well aware of.

However, there's another award that comes out around this time, an award few know about. It's the league's LVP, or Least Valuable Player. Who it is that votes on this award isn't known (though it's suspected disgruntled fantasy football players have some pull), but, for the first time ever, I'm going to release not only the winner (or, loser) of the award, but the rest of the players that got serious consideration as well.

6. LaDainain Tomlinson
Almost despite LT, the Chargers made the playoffs, which makes his useless-ness all the more upsetting. If LaDainian Tomlinson, once the league's premier back, was awful and the Chargers were 3-13, it would make those old-school fans of Tomlinson feel as if he still had "it". Sure, he's had his injuries to deal with, namely a nagging turf toe, and now a groin injury. 2008 was, without doubt, the worst season of his eight year career: career lows in yards and ypg, and the lowest TD total since his rookie year.

5. Larry Johnson
If various public complaints about a lack of carries wasn't enough, Larry Johnson gets on this list only because he acted like a felon. Not sure where LJ was raised, but I'd imagine he wasn't taught to throw drinks in women's faces in clubs when they bother you. Just a shot in the dark. Then, when he actually did play, he wasn't even close to good. At first glance, a 4.5 ypc isn't bad at all, right? Wrong. If you take out the two 60+ yard runs he had, that lofty average comes down to a more representative 3.9. That's not to mention, he had four games where he had under 40 yards.

4. Chad Johnson
Now, in fairness, Chad Javon Ocho Cinco's season is partly to blame on not having any semblance of a running game or quarterback all season. Injuries don't help either, but, it's just too hard not to want to put Ochenta y Cinco on a list like this. By far, his worst season since his rookie year. Johnson, miraculously, managed to go the entire season without a single game with even 90 yards receiving.

3. Jason Campbell
The former Auburn QB started the season like a Meatloafed bat-out-of-hell, avoiding throwing a pick in the first half of the season. Second half? Not so strong, for young Mr. Campbell. And, his team, unfortunately, felt it, big time. After leading his team to a 6-2 record without a single INT, his second half featured 6 picks, and his team fell to an eventual even 8-8.

2. David Garrard/Derek Anderson
I've never understood what people liked about the Jaguars or David Garrard, so his place on this list doesn't shock me one bit. Outside of a typically dynamic RB duo in MJD and the ancient one Freddie Taylor, this team doesn't have much in the way of skill players on the offensive side of the ball. Of course, there is Matt Jones, who is incredibly skilled, if you include amongst his skills breaking the law and not having a position. Garrard can run, but not incredibly well. His arm is pretty good, but not great, nor horribly accurate. Six of his career high 13 picks came in the fourth quarter of games this year.

In a tie for second was another QB, a really big one, almost as big as the amount of disappointment he left the city of Cleveland with. All six foot six inches of Derek Anderson was just awful this year. After breaking out last season, Anderson completely stunk the joint up. Sure, Braylon Edwards dropping nearly everything thrown his way didn't help much. But, it was summed up nicely when he was benched after a Week 8 loss to Baltimore. Final numbers of 9 TDs to 8 INts really have people rethinking who exactly is their franchise QB in Cleveland.

1. Reggie Bush
The player once decried as the future superstar running back of the NFL, just three short years ago, is now likely best known for dating a girl that made a sex tape than his on-field accomplishments. Reggie Bush wasn't expected to be a feature back for the Saints this year, but he was expected to play, and be effective in the role Sean Payton had carved out for him as a scat/receiving back. Instead, he showcased how incredibly soft he plays (often ducking out of the field of play to avoid contact), and how he'll likely do very little in the NFL. No one doubts his speed and agility and acceleration. Dude's off the hook in Madden. In real life though, he's been nothing but useless and a disappointment, especially when the number one pick that year, Super Mario Williams, is ripping apart offensive lines across the league. This year, three running backs (Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner, and DeAngelo Williams) each had better seasons (this year!) than Reggie Bush has had a career. Tough break, Saints.

The Monday Morning Longsnapper

• If there was ever more proof needed that Bill Belichick is, in fact, a truly dislikable human, it was when, with his Patriots up by 29 with under three minutes left, he challenged a 4th down conversion for the Raiders.  JaMarcus Russell threw a short pass to Chaz Schilens, one that, if it was a close game, probably wasn't enough to warrant the yardage for the first down.  Either way, the officials gave the Raiders a favorable spot, and Billy Boy wasn't going to let that go without a fight.  Thankfully, the play was upheld.
• It's official:  running back is the most easily replaceable position in the NFL.  LaDainian Tomlinson's backup leaves a career as as second stringer behind to head to Atlanta, and now Michael Turner has over 1,400 rushing yards this year.  Marion Barber goes down with an injury, his unknown backup, Tashard Choice has averaged nearly 90 yards per in his last two games filling in.  In Denver, Ryan Torain, before going down with an ACL-tear, rushed at 5.7 clip in the first half of his first start.  Peyton Hillis, before he went down for the season, was averaging over 5 a pop in his last four games, with 5 TDs.In Pittsburgh, when Mewelde Moore's gotten the chance to start, he's averaged 90 yards a game. Word to the wise if you're an RB:  don't get hurt, ever.
• Houston with an obvious upset, right?  Not as much as you'd think.  Last year, Houston lost to Tennessee twice, but held their own each time.  Not to mention, Houston's got the best WR in the league in Andre Johnson (just ask Nick Harper, he's got AJ's cleat marks up and down his chest).  And, the Texans came in winners of three in a row.  Also, I know I'm not the only one that doesn't think Jeff Fisher's gang is that good anyway.
• Speaking of not that good, is LaDainian Tomlinson the next Shaun Alexander (maybe he should have taken more time protecting his career?)?  That's probably a bit extreme, but, don't be surprised if you've seen the very best of the former Horned Frog.  His toe injury that's limited him all season hasn't gone away, and, sadly, it appears his electric cutback abilities may have Bison Dele'd.