The Nation is Well Again - the Yankees are back in the World Series: Normally reliable and skilled NY Times writer Tyler Kepner loses his balance and goes over the hometown edge, stating that postseason baseball has been ordinary and without drama since the last time the Yankees were in the World Series, and suggesting that there is a direct correlation between the absence of the Yankees and the woefulness of the playoffs. In one fell swoop, A-Rod's childlike wonder at his first trip to the Series is brought back to earth by a return to arrogance. From the pages of the newspaper of record, no less.

posted by beaverboard to baseball at 07:18 PM - 14 comments

Six NFL Teams Targeted For Possible Move to LA : The effort to return an NFL team to LA appears to be well organized and seems to have some momentum.

posted by beaverboard to football at 05:52 PM - 20 comments

Guns 'R Us has a friend in Gainesville: Not wanting to be outdone by Florida State's recent NCAA-related news, the Gators have sprung a nifty surprise of their own. A University of Florida female gymnast has been arrested for harboring a weapons cache that any self-respecting sleeper cell commando would be proud to call his own.

posted by beaverboard to other at 08:18 PM - 9 comments

Jake Delhomme, a Panther forever: The Carolina Panthers just bestowed a large contract on Delhomme, perhaps defying logic (or at least common sense) in the process.

posted by beaverboard to football at 01:28 PM - 3 comments

Cubs Retire Number Worn by Two Greats in Combo Deal: The Cubs announced they will retire the number 31 worn by both Ferguson Jenkins and Greg Maddux, and will honor both of them in a ceremony later this year. I don't know how often a combo number retirement takes place.
It makes sense in one way, but it also seems a bit odd. I admire Maddux enormously, but I totally loved Jenkins, who seemed to be good for 20 wins a year throughout my entire youth. Strange to have two greats lumped into one combo footlong house special take-out deal rather than give each their individual due. But what else can they do? Both guys wore the same number. And it seems as though this is being done with full respect to both parties, who appear to be gracious about it and appreciative of it. I wonder what other unretired numbers could be enshrined in combo fashion like this?

posted by beaverboard to baseball at 11:03 PM - 12 comments

Mario Williams is a hoss in a bull helmet: This is just the wire service wrap-up on last night's Jags-Texans game. As a way of noting that after all the abuse that the Texans took for drafting Mario Williams ahead of Bush, Young, and Leinart in 2006, at this point, it sure looks like they made the right choice.

posted by beaverboard to (Choose one) at 11:13 AM - 5 comments

The Next Tennessee Football Coach: Some fervent and deep thoughts on who will succeed Coach Fulmer at Tennessee. Posted Sept. 23, well before Fulmer's ouster (keep that in mind while reading). This SEC blog is zealous and energetic, but also quite rational, civil, and insightful. Complete with decent responses. The discussion drifts off into another zone after a while, but the first half or so is a welcome break from the crazed stuff you run into elsewhere. Recommended reading for Chuck Neinas.

posted by beaverboard to football at 07:48 PM - 1 comment

Seven years of Lion angst ought to end: Now that William Clay Ford has weighed in publicly on the ineptitude of Matt Millen, how long will it take for the Lions to actually do something about it?

posted by beaverboard to football at 09:04 AM - 13 comments