Recent Comments by ttrendel

Mike Davis resigns as Indiana University basketball coach.

I agree that its the best thing for IU and Davis. I just hope to god that IU doesn't mess this up by getting another relatively inexperienced coach. As much as Steve Alford has meant to IU in the past, his record as coach at Iowa hasn't exactly been sterling. IIRC, Davis has had the better record. Lets hope IU can get a solid, known coach who can finally get the in-state recruiting back on track. ps there is no such thing as the University of Indiana

posted by ttrendel at 07:37 AM on February 17, 2006

The Sportscenter Drinking game.

I'll gladly sit through an hour of hackneyed catchphrases to catch just a glimpse of sweet,sweet Linda Cohn. Hello Mrs. Robinson.

posted by ttrendel at 12:24 AM on December 24, 2003

Colts Rally for Overtime Win,

"The correct call of a dipshit rule." Dipshit rule or not, a rule is a rule. Without rules the game is nonexistent. If I'm getting paid 2 million a year to play a game, I'd make pretty damn sure that I know the fucking rules.

posted by ttrendel at 01:49 AM on October 07, 2003

Colts Rally for Overtime Win,

All Colts fans are happy for the win and Dilger still had a decent night. That's as good as it gets. I think most Colts fans have a soft spot for him. He was a bright spot on the team when there weren't many others and he always seemed like such an approachable guy. I can't say that making him available was a bad call, but he was such a likeable guy. I never knew he was somehat local, though. Good info.

posted by ttrendel at 01:39 AM on October 07, 2003

Colts Rally for Overtime Win,

Nope. A win is a win. There were many bad calls against the Colts as well. Bad calls are part of the game. If you don' t like 'em, don't play. I dunno how anyone who has read the NFL rulebook could call the (*coughpatriots/raiderscough*) call a bad one. The refs followed what was in the rulebook perfectly. The only reason that call got so much attention is that most Raiders fans cannot read, and therefore cannot read the NFL rulebook.

posted by ttrendel at 12:45 AM on October 07, 2003

Colts Rally for Overtime Win,

Wooh-wooh!!! Lots of yelling around the complex tonight. I dunno if it rivals the Miracle in the Meadowlands, but it has to be close. The look on poor Sapp's face was priceless. Average allowed ppg by Bucs D: 7.3 Points scored by Colts over bucs: 38

posted by ttrendel at 12:30 AM on October 07, 2003

If at first you don't succeed,

My picks: AFC East: Miami AFC South: Indianapolis AFC North: Cleveland AFC West: Kansas City Wildcards: Oakland, Tennessee NFC East: Philadelpia NFC South: Tampa Bay NFC North: Green Bay NFC West: San Francisco Wildcards: St. Louis, New Orleans AFC: Kansas City NFC: Philadelphia SuperBowl: Kansas City

posted by ttrendel at 12:06 PM on September 05, 2003

Why men don't watch women's sports.

I watch WUSA games as well. I watch the games every once in a while for the same reason that I suspect many do- I don't have Direct TV or FoxSportsWorld, so WUSA games are almost the only televised soccer games I get to see. I'm not so sure that the WNBA's woes are so much about which sex is playing, but rather it being a young upstart league. Regardless of sex, doesn't every upstart league have difficulties from the get go? I think a new men's pro league would have the same difficulties.

posted by ttrendel at 10:35 AM on August 25, 2003

Gamecube for me. I'd rather have a medium sized assortment of good quality games than very little (XBox) or a ton of really shitty games with a few gems mixed in (PS2). I don't really like any FPS's, so the overwhelming glut of those on the other consoles never really swayed me. I also pray nightly for the next Mario Kart game. I think the Madden games get a little repetitive. Sure the rosters are updated, but the looks and feel of the game are basically the same. I bought Madden 2k2 out of the discount bin a little while ago and was throughly unimpressed. The original NFL Gameday for the PS was much better. I'll second garfield on FIFA 2003. I got it about a month ago and have played at least 3 matches every day since. Playing against the computer with it switched onto the World-Class difficulty setting is one of the most frustrating, infuriating things I have ever done.

posted by ttrendel at 03:10 PM on August 15, 2003

Women. Wood. Water.

I caught a little bit of that too, WC. I suspect that I was drawn in by the exact same thing that you were- some of those women are incredibly hot.

posted by ttrendel at 02:13 AM on July 22, 2003

Giant kid wrestling.

"A wrestling match Wednesday between two of the world's largest preschoolers ended in a draw - and a party with ice cream and chocolate." That's priceless.

posted by ttrendel at 05:30 PM on July 09, 2003

Real-life Cannonball Run.

There was a Jackass episode a while back in which the usual Jackass suspects tagged along with one of the drivers through the whole Gumball 3000. Pretty amusing all in all.

posted by ttrendel at 09:03 AM on April 17, 2003

Screw Augusta, Martha, we need the publicity.

Thanks, Ufez!

posted by ttrendel at 02:00 PM on March 28, 2003

Screw Augusta, Martha, we need the publicity.

Thanks for the links, Ufez. As it turns out I've got 2 separate 18-hole courses (both well-maintained) within a five minute drive of my apartment and I never even knew they existed. And to think I was gonna spend this weekend cleaning out my attic. Are there any beginner disc-buying tips from vets?

posted by ttrendel at 12:56 AM on March 28, 2003

New Cincy Ballpark

Thanks for all the pics, ?!. Now I have more motivation to make my annual pilgrimage to catch a Reds game. It's good to hear that you can still get $5 nosebleed seats and climb down on lazy sunday afternoons.

posted by ttrendel at 09:25 AM on March 26, 2003

Sports Movies.

I vote for The Natural or Rudy. The final scene in The Natural sends chill down my spine every time I see it. So much, in fact, that I have to beg my GF to watch it every time it's on AMC. Sports fan or no, Rudy can transform even the most hardened of spirits into a blubbering fool. Plus, what about Any Given Sunday? Any feature film starring LT is all good in my book. I always thought Hoosiers and Blue Chips were great. I'm actually dumbfounded that Raging Bull hasn't been mentioned earlier.

posted by ttrendel at 04:56 AM on March 23, 2003

The Ten EASIEST Things To Do In Sports

I dunno, I think long-snapping in the NFL is probably one of the most stressful jobs. They're only out there a few times per game and the ratio of errors is pretty large. I only wish I could find some stats on high or low snaps per NFL season. They seem pretty common and often make the difference in a game by way of fumbles or failed 4th down conversions.

posted by ttrendel at 01:11 AM on March 18, 2003

I think that it's pretty surprising, but not that strange. As bad of a rep as Knight has, he is one generous guy. I'm a student at IU and have a wonderful library to study in largely because of Knight diverting his shoe contract money directly to the library. He may be too hard on his players, too sarcastic with the media and too heavy-handed with the university officials, but like him or not, this university misses him for his dedication to higher learning. Sure, he made mistakes, but he is a great person. I've met him twice personally(once in high school,once at college 6 years later). Each time he made an effort to learn my name and make me feel comfortable meeting someone who his not only notorious but physically huge. Great guy. Great talker. Great coach. Not so great at dealing with stress.

posted by ttrendel at 12:20 AM on March 11, 2003

Roy Jones Jr. makes boxing history

Although Ruiz may be the one of the weakest fighters to hold a major belt in the the last decade, it is certainly impressive that Jones not only trained hard enough to move up weight classes but that he had a successful challenge after doing so. That kind of training and discipline will be his legacy. Amazing. My only question is what he'll do now. Lewis is too big, Tyson is basically a circus performer, and both Klitschkos are so big and powerful that Vitali has to sue for a bout against the rightfully scared Lewis. Vitali Klitschko will bludgeon Lewis into retirement on June 8 (God willing), Jones will lose his belt, and be stuck fighting warm-up matches. I love and repect Jones, he has the skill and speed to best most modern heavyweights, but he doesn't have the power to compete amongst the premier heavyweights. I'd love to see him take Byrd (which he would), but his potential as a heavyweight ends there.

posted by ttrendel at 02:34 AM on March 04, 2003

Existential catch-up

I guess the only time I saw them (at probably 7 years old) I never guessed that they did 2 shows at every venue. Even that is humbling. Assuming that they did 2 shows a day, 244 days a years plus travelling time makes me feel extraordinarily lazy. Although that's divergent from the theme of the post, that is very impressive. They can do whatever they want to do at that point. If I could only fit in 488 rounds of golf in a year I'd be on the tour.

posted by ttrendel at 02:14 AM on March 04, 2003

Existential catch-up

How do they play that many games? 488 in 1976-1977? Wow.

posted by ttrendel at 11:20 PM on March 02, 2003

Bizarre tales that defy explanation

I agree, great find. I've actually been wondering about the Steelers' helmets for a few years and can now sleep easier. My one last football helmet-related question is what the two stickers on the back of all NFL helmets are. Warning labels? Anyone have any guesses?

posted by ttrendel at 12:06 AM on February 28, 2003

The Phoniest Records in Sports

Great post, kirkaracha. That's the most interesting thing I've read in a few weeks. Thanks.

posted by ttrendel at 11:40 PM on February 25, 2003

Hell freezes over!

Aside from the football, I actually enjoyed some of the secondary entertainment. The Terry Tate commercial was the funniest by far. As much as I hate to say it, I was actually entertained by Sting and Stefani doing "Message in a Bottle". That was probably the best half-time shows in years. I just need to find out where I can get one of Sting's 'half-n-half' jersies.

posted by ttrendel at 12:33 AM on January 27, 2003

Hell freezes over!

I thought it was a thoroughly entertaining game, but again I was for the Bucs. The Raiders were a sheer embarassment. They were out-coached and out-played. Gannon delivered the worst QB performance in a Super Bowl ever. The Raiders squandered their one shot for a championship in the next 10 years. That makes me giddy with joy. Any team that would pick up Romanowski deserves to get it's ass handed to them every time. OK enough with the gloating...This is the worst officiating in a Super Bowl in years. Challenges were wasted on what should have been obvious calls. Should officiating crews instead of individuals be selected for the championship game? Why is a force-out in the endzone a non-reviewable play? What officiating changes will come during the off season? What changes do you wish would be made?

posted by ttrendel at 11:22 PM on January 26, 2003

"You don't make that call in overtime and in a playoff game."

I didn't hear Cowher bitching when the Steelers went to the AFC championship for the 96 season after scoring the winning touchdown over the Colts with a pass caught by a receiver who had stepped out of bounds, therefore making him ineligible. No, I'm not bitter. It's all Karma. They desreved to lose do to past injustices. And because their defense is terrible. And because Cleveland made them look stupid last weekend. And because Cowher is vastly overrated. And because Randle-El and Ward are the only gifted players on the team. And because Maddox has that same doe-eyed innocence that made me hate Kurt Warner. And because Kordell Stewart is growing another head out of his right cheek, maybe even one that can identify open receivers. And because Bettis is a washout. No, I'm not bitter. It's about time that the bad officiating came around to bite them in the ass. They truly deserve it.

posted by ttrendel at 04:24 AM on January 12, 2003

The wonderful future of heavyweight boxing

As much as I hate to make early predictions, I think these boys are for real. I've been able to catch a few of Wladimir's fights and was very impressed. I don't know anything about Vitali, but I've never seen a calmer boxer than Wladimir. His focus is amazing. Saturday night only solidified that opinion. McCline looked like a deer in the headlights once Wladimir caught him in the third. As much as I hate to sound like all of the moronic pundits, they are for real. Wladimir made McCline look like an amateur. Good footwork and enough great jabs to extend the reach difference. McCline learned what it was to take a good jab. I've been known to be a tad sensational, but I think they are for real. Either one could bring Lewis to his knees. I fully believe that they will dominate for a few years. Either one of these guys could take Lewis in 6. PS: I may be casual fan, but more boxing posts please!!!!

posted by ttrendel at 03:35 AM on December 08, 2002

IU pays it's AD $800,000 to leave.

It's outrageous that his severance package is so large, but I'm glad to see him go. It seems the athletic department has made nothing but missteps since he came. First they pay a design firm 3 million for a new logo that looks almost exactly like the old one. I could have made that logo for $20. Secondly, they move the student section at football games to the north bleachers, behind the goal post. The worst seats in the stadium by a large margin. Then last week they shrink the student season basketball ticket packages to six games from the previous ten. Someone in the department sure has it in for the student body.

posted by ttrendel at 03:40 PM on November 12, 2002

I just love these sports to general media crossover stories. I tell someone about Green Bay running back Davenport just to get a blank stare. Then I say "You know, the laundry pooper guy" and they say "Oh yeah! I know that guy!"

posted by ttrendel at 01:19 AM on November 01, 2002

I guess the debate has come down to this- try to fool the mentally handicapped kid into thinking he has scored a legit touchdown OR give some respect to a handicapped person who somehow worked himself onto a HS football program and show him a little respect. I vote for option B. Even thinking that the players and coaches tried to trick him shows your own attitude towards the handicapped. While looked at it under a different light, it wasn't the touchdown that was the point, it was just a way for the community to show how much they respected him for doing what he did. It's what is called a 'symbolic act'. Is that concept really that hard to grasp? For the love of God, please tell me what is wrong with that.

posted by ttrendel at 01:15 AM on November 01, 2002

BCS Standings are out.

According to a recent Monday Night Football stat, that figure is more than 80%, tieguy.

posted by ttrendel at 02:58 AM on October 22, 2002

Is Favre indestructible?

Favre's record is indeed admirable, but also a touch greedy. I always got a little angry at him for not sitting out some games. He has a tendency to injure his throwing hand, refuse to sit out, and then fumble or throw intercepted ducks repeatedly. Favre is a great quarterback that sometimes forgets that football is a team game.

posted by ttrendel at 11:50 PM on October 21, 2002

Deford dislikes fantasy sports.

I agree. I most definitely have the teams that I love and the teams that I hate. Fantasy Football makes most every game a treat to watch regardless of allegiances. I reccomend that Deford and his peers join together in a "Fantasy Solid Bowel-Movement League". It might just do them some good.

posted by ttrendel at 01:02 AM on October 10, 2002

This actually makes me feel kinda good. Ya see, I bought Beau Duran's aborted fetus on E-Bay. It currently serves as a stylish toilet paper dispenser. I think it might be time for a demotion.

posted by ttrendel at 03:29 AM on October 05, 2002

Is Tice Toast?

As inflammatory as that last post was, he refuses to deal with the problems. He will let Moss stomp over him all season. He deserves it. He's more of a stomping mat than a coach. I present you with the worst team in the NFL- the Vikes. The coach has thrown down the reigns. Good riddance. Perhaps we'll see what Culpepper and Moss are made of. My bid- extreme lack of talent and discipline. Moss is much more likely to catch herpes than a touchdown pass. Culpepper just needs to get off the team.

posted by ttrendel at 02:17 AM on September 30, 2002

Is Tice Toast?

Tice must go. I hate the vikings, but he must go. For two reasons- (1) Refusal to confront Moss. (2) Refusal to field a team that is even decent. Tice is a complete moron. He longs to coddle his star players, such as Moss. Dennis Green did the same thing and felt the consequences. Secondly, I really haven't seen a more incompetent game played by any coach. What did he do during the offseason? Not much is my guess. I really can't recall the last time I've seen this caliber of talent and this total lack of coaching talent. Tice is a hack and doesn't belong in the NFL. He can't even get his own players under control. In short, he's as dumb as he looks. His special teams coach needs a lobotomy.

posted by ttrendel at 02:06 AM on September 30, 2002

Randy Moss on fan support

It's apparent that Moss was coddled by Green and that Tice is going to do the same. The Vikes really need to invest in a coach that has the intestinal fortitude to either (a) get Moss under control or (b) get this cancer off of the team. And that is really what he is, a cancer. A cancer damn good at catching footballs (when he wants), but a cancer nonetheless. He is arguably the most disruptive player in the game today and needs to be dealt with as such. The media still kiss his ass at every turn and he eats the hype up. They evidently forget that football is a team sport. I'll wager this- Moss will never wear a championship ring. Not due to his own lack of talent or the talent of surrounding players, but to his own attitude. At least Tyson was champ. If this burn-out continues his same path, he won't even get close to that.

posted by ttrendel at 01:14 AM on September 25, 2002

Why not to have a rapper as your sports agent

Well, Edgerin James has been a major tool of the team. Without him (i.e. last season) the Colts fall apart. Ricky Williams was a constant belly-acher for the Saints. Notice also that Ricky won the Heisman. James wasn't even considered a prospect until the combine. That says something. Ricky thinks he deserves something while Edgerin just wants to play. I think that Ricky will do great at Miami, but he will never be 1/10 the player of Edgerin, not only stats-wise but attitude-wise. the proof is in the pudding- Edgerin James, 3yrs, 4023 yds, 29 TD's Ricky Williams, 3 yrs, 3240, 18 TD's Also consider that during Ricky's stay in NO, he was the primary offensive weapon. James has been a secondary weapon due to Manning and Harrison. Any loss in Ricky's pay is due to lack of ability and poor attitude. Is James worth more than Ricky? HELL YES.

posted by ttrendel at 02:05 AM on September 10, 2002

The NFL season is now upon us and Dr. Z has made his picks.

In other words- the cowboys are my cinderella pick and the rams are my bust pick.

posted by ttrendel at 05:04 PM on September 05, 2002

The NFL season is now upon us and Dr. Z has made his picks.

I assure you that I didn't pick the Cowboys out of homersism. You know when you fill out an NCAA bracket and feel like you have to have your fair share of Cinderellas and early busts? Same here. The probability is low, but I think the Cowboys have a decent chance of making it. The NFC East is pretty open. Same goes for the Rams. I still gave them a wildcard spot, but I don't think I could pick them as the champ. I don't know if I get that from gut feeling or the deep desire to watch them fall apart.

posted by ttrendel at 05:03 PM on September 05, 2002

The NFL season is now upon us and Dr. Z has made his picks.

Ahem, my SuperBowl Picks: Eagles vs. Colts.

posted by ttrendel at 02:09 AM on September 05, 2002

The NFL season is now upon us and Dr. Z has made his picks.

Here are mine: NFC East: Cowboys NFC North: Packers NFC South: Bucs NFC West: 49ers Wildcards: Rams and Eagles AFC East: Dolphins AFC North: Steelers AFC South: Colts AFC West: Broncos Wildcards: Titans and Bengals Any prophecy beyond that is futile.

posted by ttrendel at 02:05 AM on September 05, 2002

Economics Professor to NFL Coaches: GO FOR IT!

And didn't you just capture the gist of the question, owillis? Does a successful team have more to gain through conversions? Is coach or consumer confidence more important? Does dismissal have more to do with record than public opinion? Are trick plays on the rise? If so, is it because of the growing complexity of the league or is it because of a sudden surge of multi-faceted players? Why are mobile, large quarterbacks getting attention now, while Randall Cunningham was ignored as a physical quarterback. He wan't quicksilver, but he had the power to fight out of the pocket. i.e. Why is football is evolving? Why can't it be stagnant like baseball?

posted by ttrendel at 03:33 AM on September 02, 2002

Economics Professor to NFL Coaches: GO FOR IT!

Whether Romer's conclusions are correct or not, maybe this will influence a few coaches to try conversions where they previously would not. They certainly make games alot more exciting for the fans and are great momentum and confidence builders for the teams.

posted by ttrendel at 06:07 PM on September 01, 2002

"'So, is it true that if a woman puts K-Y jelly in her vagina, it'll, like, burn up a condom?''

I find it absolutely amazing that the Giants have such a long test which never touches upon throwing and/or catching a football. Kendrell Bell should be happy that his name even showed up in the paper. He'll be sacking groceries in no time.

posted by ttrendel at 12:52 AM on August 21, 2002

Too good to be true!

I might be biased here ( being from Indiana, where the NBA is some kind of sick joke and where REAL basketball is played, with defense and everything) but I sincerely hope that Kemp gets to the Lakers. Having Kemp on the team is like having a cancerous tumor. He'll poison LA basketball rather quickly.

posted by ttrendel at 12:42 AM on August 21, 2002

Too good to be true!

I might be biased here ( being from Indiana, where the NBA is some kind of sick joke and where REAL basketball is played, with defense and everything) but I sincerely hope that Kemp gets to the Lakers. Having Kemp on the team is like having a cancerous tumor. He'll poison LA basketball rather quickly.

posted by ttrendel at 12:41 AM on August 21, 2002

Red card withdrawn after the game.

I'll admit that I don't know very much about futbol (middle ground, eh?), but what is the effect of withdrawing the red card? It's all good and well for player stats, but the effect on the game must be large. I'd have to agree that instant replay would hurt the game, but there has to be consequences. Should refs who make bad calls be fined? Suspended? This seems to be a case of implied contact. Judging the level of contact on a tackle has to be rough. So what do we do? In the NBA, players constantly overact to draw charges even when contact is not made. The big question is how do we control officiating in ANY sport. The refs have a hard job, but they volunteered for it. I propose that every sport hire an auditing agency. 2 points per terrible call. 5 bad calls a season and you get disciplinary action (suspension, retraining, pelted with bottles ala Cleveland). I absolutelty hate the fact that some officials believe that they are as important to the game as players.

posted by ttrendel at 12:29 AM on August 21, 2002

Another weekly sports magazine

I have a pretty limited taste in sports that i follow seriously (nfl and ncaa basketball), but I still subscribe to SI. I subscribe for one reason- Steve Rushin's Air and Space. That's entertainment. May Rick Reilly rot in beer commercial hell.

posted by ttrendel at 11:46 PM on August 01, 2002

Monster deal for Ray Lewis.

I can just imagine Billick at his bedside every night, praying for the elimination of the forward pass. You can't win every game 7-0, you know.

posted by ttrendel at 11:42 PM on August 01, 2002

Tom Coughlin seems to have benefited most by the current expansion team draft system than overall coaching style. I say give him 5 more years with the Jaguars and then judge his coaching ability. He had great tools (with some injury juggling) last year but failed to produce. As for Parcells, he simply jumped around too much to make any serious marks in coaching. Sign him to the Texans for five years and see how he does. His career record and reputation relies more on opportunism than actual coaching. That's why he's in the booth. If he found a team with solid players, a shot at the playoffs,and that would sign him for only two years, he'd be all over it. He is not. Unfortunately he doubts his own coaching abilities as much as I do.

posted by ttrendel at 11:34 PM on August 01, 2002

My most memorable baseball moments By Allen Barra

Great link srvoisbert. My favorites: - Watching Rob Dibble pitch an inning as an Indianapolis Indian after being sent down following an injury. - While walking through the gate at Riverfront stadium to catch a Reds game in '91, my father turned to me and asked if Concepcion was still on the team with a completely straight face. - Hitting a single off of my knuckles while playing in a Babe Ruth league as a teenager. I didn't even realize it until I got on base and saw blood all over my hands. Yup, I swung at everything and soon invested in padded batting gloves.

posted by ttrendel at 01:34 PM on July 27, 2002

Is Lance Armstrong An Athelete?

I'll second that, etagloh. An ignorant over-simplification of any sport does not a good argument make. Basketball is just repetitively throwing a ball through a hoop? Soccer (or football, to dodge criticism) is just kicking a ball? Even though I know next to nothing about cycling, I know that there is strategy involved. Plus, some cyclists are in extraordinary health. I read recently that Greg Lemond's resting heart rate at the peak of his career was roughly 18 bpm. The sheer amount of training just to attain that level of health more than makes it an atheletic sport.

posted by ttrendel at 08:56 PM on July 25, 2002

The best UK pubs for watching sports.

I'm happy to say that I'm a regular at Nick's. Great atmosphere, great beer. Even one of ESPN's 100 things to do in your life.

posted by ttrendel at 01:41 AM on July 25, 2002

Sports Fantasy Is Catching Up With Reality

The great thing about sports games is that you actually learn about the strategy that might not be apparent to the occasional viewer. I was a casual football fan until the advent of Madden 94. Watching football became much more enjoyable because I understood dedfensive and offensive sets, and the positives and negatives of each. Anyway, I just got a gamecube over the weekend. My new addiction is FIFA 2002. Great stuff. I'm far from unbeatable, but I love it. I guarantee you that I'll be all over the premier leagues from now on, all due to the appreciation I have gained from video games. My only gripe is that sports games tend to evolve very little. If you are totally whoop-ass on one football game, you can at any other. If a PGA sim with a full, active board comes out for gamecube I will drop out of school and quit my job.

posted by ttrendel at 01:38 AM on July 25, 2002

I think that this tells as much about a player's response to coaching styles as it does player mobility. I'm constantly amazed that the coaching style doesn't get looked at more in terms of making team decisions. Some players function well when working under a tough system ie Tom Coughlin. Others tend to function better in a more positive environment ie Jim Mora (despite the unkind words in NO). Players tend to function better when their coaching is constant, such as high school, college, and pro coaches adhering to a similar style. Put this together with a high rate of player mobility and the variables are certainly endless. The quarterback is the one player that depends on and is depended on by the most players on the field. When these talented, yet inexperienced quarterbacks get a title, the formula has definitely worked- they respond well to coaching, trust the receivers and backs and vice versa. That's a large bill to fill. The reason that some quarterbacks can garner such long-term success is due in some small part to their ability, but it is due mostly to lack of change. Lack of change has slowly become a hot commodity in the NFL. As for the Favre case, it will very interesting to see how he performs without Antonio Freeman. Freeman was obviously no longer a 12 TD per season player, but the loss will definitely be felt by Favre.

posted by ttrendel at 03:55 AM on July 08, 2002

Is speed eating a sport?

The Food Network recently ran a 1-hour show about the IFOCE centering on the Nathan's hot dog eating contest (which is tommorrow, incidentally). It was brilliant for the fact that it took me a good solid half-hour to realize that the people weren't joking. Hopefully thet'll re-run it soon. It's one of the most unintentionally hilarious programs I've ever seen. Back on topic, I'll vote sport. They do have to train, there is competition, it's engrossing enough to some people that they travel the country on weekends to compete, and the most successful participants seem to be in excellent physical shape.

posted by ttrendel at 05:31 PM on July 03, 2002

Tony Kornheiser brings out the bandwagon again!

Wow, djacobs. If it weren't for you I wouldn't know who to hate (read his posts, people. I'm much too lazy to link them ). If you don't mind a personal question, djacobs, exactly how many hours a week do you spend scouring over sports pages looking for sentences that you find questionable? I'll place my bet at near 20 or so. My next post- "What is wrong with this sentence- djacobs is a reactionary maggot who searches out any non-PC statement in an article relating to sports and posts it to Sportsfilter." I applaud your attempt at trying to fill Sportsfilter with worthwhile material, but reading what is essentially the same post every 5 days is counter-productive.

posted by ttrendel at 04:14 AM on June 21, 2002

Tyson fit as a butchers dog,

I'll definitely be watching, but probably more out of morbid curiosity than anything else. For some reason, I always hope that Tyson will rediscover himself and fight like he did when he was young. I know all about the rape convictions, other rape reports, ear-biting, road rage, etc., but Tyson intrigues me. I really can't think of a less intriguing athelete than Lewis. Call me an idiot, but I think Tyson has a decent chance. If the training reports are correct and not just hype, he may have found some of his old speed. I think it will be hard for Lewis not to be scared. I would be scared just being in the same room with the man. That insane unpredictability makes him pretty intimidating. I don't think that you can ever count Tyson out. Any man that possesses that much brute force always has a chance. One lottery punch is enough to put Lewis down. Plus, Lewis was knocked out by Rahman, who just last Saturday was getting beat up pretty good by a near-40 Holyfield before the headbutting incident. The interesting thing about this fight is that if Lewis wins, Lewis might retire with the 2 belts. I can't see Tyson fighting again if he loses. On the other hand, If Tyson wins, both will probably keep fighting, even if only for a rematch. Tyson would walk away with two belts and the heavyweight boxing world will be turned upside-down.

posted by ttrendel at 03:40 PM on June 07, 2002

Venus, Serena Williams and Capriati advance to Semis.

I don't think that women's tennis has hit a golden age as much as men's tennis has hit a dark age. Seles and Graf were just as fun to watch as Venus and Serena. Men's tennis seems to be at a lull and probably will be until the next generation of men's tennis that SI slobbers over so much get some experience under their belts. Give it a few years and I fully expect men's tennis to be totally revamped, maybe starting a golden age for men's tennis. That being said, Hingis, Capriati and the Williams sisters are great fun to watch. I could watch Venus and Serena play doubles for a few days without getting bored. I gotta root for Serena. This might be the victory she needs to get out of Venus's massive shadow.

posted by ttrendel at 04:08 PM on June 04, 2002