04/25/24
September 16, 2012
SportsFilter: The Sunday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
I barely made it back from the last one; after watching every Stanley Cup game since I was maybe 4 or 5, I think I've seen 5-6 Cup games total since the last stoppage. I actually started watching European Soccer and upped my interest in NFL football and didn't feel a void in my life.
posted by dfleming at 09:12 AM on September 16, 2012
Well, the last time there was a NHL lockout, the London Knights started their run as one of the greatest junior hockey teams in history. They began the season with a 31-game winning streak, and finished with an OHL record 59W 7L 2T (3 of those losses occurring when their top players were playing in the World Junior tournament for Canada).
The Canadian Junior hockey team ended up being the single greatest collection of junior-aged talent in the history of the sport. Members included:
D: Cam Barker, Dion Phaneuf, Brent Seabrook, Shea Weber
F: Patrice Bergeron, Jeff Carter, Sidney Crosby, Ryan Getzlaf, Andrew Ladd, Corey Perry, Michael Richards
The Russian roster had Ovechkin, Malkin, and Radulov.
posted by grum@work at 10:21 AM on September 16, 2012
Boy, look at the crowd to see The U yesterday. I know it was against Bethune-Cookman, but big programs never have crowds that bad for cupcakes.
posted by rcade at 11:22 AM on September 16, 2012
Side Judge pulled from the New Orleans vs. Carolina game when it's discovered that he's a huge Saints fan.
posted by tron7 at 02:12 PM on September 16, 2012
Side Judge pulled from the New Orleans vs. Carolina game when it's discovered that he's a huge Saints fan.
I just don't get how this happens. If you put the time and effort in to football that you're capable of refereeing it at the highest level (even as a scab), doesn't it make sense that you become a fan of someone? Shouldn't the league just ask, "Hey, who do you like? Okay, you can't work their games." If they don't do that, it's the league's fault that something like this might come up; if they do, and he lied, then he should be flat-out fired.
posted by Etrigan at 02:44 PM on September 16, 2012
... doesn't it make sense that you become a fan of someone?
I don't think so. When your profession requires impartiality, you would be reluctant to admit being a fan for fear it would inhibit your career. In a press box, any sign of homerism by a reporter is frowned upon. I imagine that it would be much worse for refs. Given that they're accused of bias on a regular basis anyway, giving detractors proof of bias would make them unpopular with their peers. I'll be surprised if this ref works another NFL game.
posted by rcade at 11:35 PM on September 16, 2012
Run Pacman, run.
It reminded me of the last time I played Madden NFL, where I'd immediately switch to the closest tackler, hit the dive button, miss the runner, and repeat that sequence 4 or 5 more times.
There were seven Browns that physically dove at him, and missed (or, at best, got their finger tips on him). #81 near the end is the best, because he just waves his arms at him and then falls down.
I guess this is why he gets a second/third/fourth chance in the NFL...
posted by grum@work at 12:31 AM on September 17, 2012
The Browns didn't have their best tackling day.
Four more players on IR with broken ankles.
posted by Mr Bismarck at 07:45 AM on September 17, 2012
That's a brilliant photo bomb. Thought out the better part of a day in advance. Well in.
posted by dfleming at 10:18 AM on September 17, 2012
And the lockout begins (doesn't seem fair to call it a work stoppage when it's the owners doing the stopping - technically correct but with conceptually false implications)
Thank you NHL owners for reminding me that I do indeed have better things to do with my time (a lesson I thought I learned last time until I found myself pulled back in).