Kornheiser's Cartel

Don't Count Out CC, It's Just One Game

2009-04-11T16:29:00.006-04:00

I finally got to watch a game on the YES network.

As an out-of-market Yankee fan, I don't get to watch as many games as I'd like to during the year. I realize I don't have much to complain about, as ESPN/FOX love to show the Bombers whenever they can. However, I don't get to see my team play nearly all their games like I would if I rooted for the Cubs, White Sox, or Reds here in Indiana. (My thanks again to Jake's for their satellite TV.)

What did I get to witness during this game against the Royals? I got to see that 36 year old Andy Pettite is still able to throw good stuff and record outs like he did during the Dynasty run.

But can we really look ahead to a whole season based on a single start? If I were to behave like every other Yankee fan and baseball analyst, then of course I would.

You see, Pettite was amazing in his season debut. His line (7IP, 3H, 6SO, 1.29ERA) was amazing and to be honest if Nick Swisher is a half step faster and plays that pop-up in the second inning better, Pettite likely gets a 2 hit shutout. If he pitches every game of the year like this, ESPN has him projected to start 41 times, winning all of them, throw 243 strikeouts, and keep his ERA below 2.00. What?!? Obviously, Pettite nor any other player this season is going to live up to those projected stats. This is what happens when you project that far forward based on one game.

As ridiculous as this example with Andy Pettite is, people have had no problem doing the exact same thing with CC Sabathia and believing his horrible projected numbers. CC pitched a terrible game on April 6th. His Yankee debut was atrocious (4.1IP, 8H, 6ER, zeroSO, 12.46ERA). I hope that CC never pitches another game like that again. But to think that this one bad start means his season is a failure and that he is going to be a bust is idiotic. His one bad start is no more evidence of a potentially bad year than Pettite's gem is an indicator that he'll defy the odds and his age and put up Cy Young-caliber numbers.

What will happen? I'm no psychic (see below for the real deal) but I'm guessing that Andy Pettite won't start 41 games and that CC will bounce back. Is he going to be a bust? No one knows, but it is too early to make that decision. If he's still stinking it up in July, then we've got a problem. However, I'm guessing that when that time comes and he's leading the league in strikeouts and the Yanks are in first place everyone will magically forget his bad debut and how they wrote him off for the rest of the season.

Conquering the World (Wide Web) - 3/29/2009

2009-03-23T21:58:00.009-04:00

March Madness is in full swing. The NBA regular season is winding down, headed for the playoffs. Baseball is also ready to get underway. While you watch the lack of underdogs in the Dance, notice the lack of parity in the NBA this year, and warm up to a long summer of scandal-ridden baseball here are some great links from around the web to keep you satisfied.

Alyssa Milano, Author and Scholar:
Friend of the Cartel, Alyssa Milano, has decided to take her love of the game of baseball and her love of its stars and turn it into a book. [Moon Dog Sports]

Brilliant Speech, But To No Avail
What if the coach from Hoosiers had spoken to the Boilermakers prior to Thursday's game against Connecticut? [Boiled Sports]

Bulls Finally Get Sidekick for Rose
John Salmons hasn't been in Chicago long after being traded from the Kings, but he has made the most of it so far and is putting up some solid numbers. [Pippen Ain't Easy]

Durant is a Beast, Says He Likes Oklahoma
Superstud Kevin Durant is pleased with the direction that the OKC franchise is taking. He sees a bright future, and as long as he wears one of those atrocious OKC unis, the Thunder could be dangerous.[The Boston Globe]

Purdue Gets No Respect

2009-03-23T12:36:00.006-04:00

This past week has been a roller coaster for the Purdue Boilermakers. They've had stellar first half performances, that end with late game meltdowns and they've won their last two games by only a combined score of 7 points (after a combined halftime lead of 23). Now, they face UCONN and must deal with the most athletic team they've faced all year.

But should Purdue even be in this situation? Should they be going up against the giants from Storrs? I say no, if only they could get a little respect.

Other than the Arizona Wildcats (a 12 seed), the Boilermakers are the lowest seed left in the dance. This might not seem like such a bad deal, other than you have to look at their resume. Not only did they compile a 25-9 record in one of the major BCS conferences, but they won the league's tournament. Though I'm a purist and don't consider the end-of-year tourney to be the championship, in some leagues Purdue would be considered that. And what did the Boilers get out of all this success? They received a 5 seed and had to go clear to the west coast to play in Portland.

This might not seem too bad. All teams have to travel great distances, especially if they're not a top seed, right? Nope.

Purdue's second opponent in the dance was Washington (located in Seattle, not too far from Portland). Neutral site, I think not. Well, at least the Huskies were a 4 seed. It makes sense that they might get preferential treatment, but how does that explain 8-seeded Ohio State (defeated by Purdue in the conference tourney) getting to play in their own state?

Geographic anomalies aside, seeding makes a huge difference of who you even have to face on your way to the Final Four. Let's face it, you don't have to be the best team in the country to win it all. All you have to do is win 6 games in a row. What teams wind up in your quadrant/side of the bracket make a huge difference. Now is UCONN the highest rated and most dangerous team in the tourney? I'd say no. But they are still a force to be reckoned with and quite a match up for a team that did as well during the season as Purdue did. Let's compare the Boilers' Sweet 16 draw with a similar squad. Kansas (25-7) only won one version of the Big 12 championship, but wound up with a 3 seed. Only being 2 seeds higher than the Boilers, the Jayhawks get to ride in the bottom side of the Midwest bracket and match up against a very beatable Michigan State squad. Meanwhile by virtue of being a 5, the boilers are forced to play the 1 seed a round earlier than teams like Kansas and Villanova.

I realize that as a Purdue fan I should just be ecstatic that they are in the Sweet 16 and leave it at that. But I can't help but feel that Purdue is rarely thought of amongst the nation's elite basketball programs, despite its great history, and often it appears to get little respect.

It's Like When The Dodgers Left Brooklyn

2009-03-20T02:39:00.004-04:00

Billynho writes the truth. My lack of commitment to the Cartel has brought down its quality over the last month or so. Besides my sporadic posting, I've even been neglecting some of the webmaster duties. For all of this, loyal fans, I apologize. Though I feel I must set the record straight since my honor has been called into question by that roguish Billy & Ho (AKA Tony Kornheiser?).

Billynho writes about how he wishes to "settle back into a pattern". Yet what he fails to mention is that this "pattern" is him MOVING! Yeah, that's right. The man who talks of commitment to a project and of the unity of the Cartel is leaving beatiful central Indiana for California.

It is indeed a sad day, sports fans. It looks like The Siets will be your only source for level-headed Midwestern takes on all the big sports issues. Billynho will probably be too busy driving his Prius and selling crack to orphans (or building microscopes) to care about our loyal readers. I can just see it now; he'll be attending Lakers games with Jacko, rooting for the Galaxy, and just generally promoting a solid West-Coast bias on this site. Heck he might even try the newspaper gig again. I hear Bill Plaschke is looking to take on an apprentice.

In all honesty though, I wish my good friend Billynho the best as he looks to start a new chapter out west. To our readers, the site may still be crazy for a brief time, but we will return in full strength soon. Thanks to all who take time to read this site and we hope you've enjoyed our work so far.

True Genius?

PS - Go Boilers and Get Well Soon Carl Landry!

To Think, The Siets Once Was Purdue's Greatest College Bowl Player Ever...

2009-03-20T01:10:00.007-04:00

After being called out for the 20th time and even receiving a few data entries asking what up (try it sometime!), I'll bend at the whim of public pressure and explain what's been going on around here.

"A whole lot of nothing, loser," ~~all~~ some of you are probably saying, and you'd be right. But there's a perfectly good explanation for the lack of posts.

It'd be easy to say that it's The Siets's (King's English around here) fault and leave it at that. And it'd be fair. Hell, that sounds 100% right to me.

As for me, I've been really busy doing things you wouldn't believe if I told you. I can't really believe it myself. And there will probably be a few more weeks of turmoil (or lack thereof) on this site, but I do plan to settle back into a pattern of ~~openly lusting for~~ overglorifying Drew Brees, Ricky Rubio, and Anfernee Hardaway again soon. So bear with Billynho, and he'll be back with you before you noticed he was gone. Assuming you did. Which you probably didn't. Because you thought he was Tony Kornheiser, didn't you? You think this is Tony Kornheiser right now, don't you? You know who I blame for that?

The Siets.

Until then, we appreciate you reading our site. Or at least I do. I can't speak for The Siets except to say The Siets doesn't care about anyone. Except beating the guy in the picture above at what that guy and The Siets do best. To think, I would've backed The Siets in that battle at one time. Ha, that was before I remembered that THAT DUDE would've definitely posted more than once in the past 29 days.

I'll be thinking of you when I'm doing what I've been doing and will soon be doing again.

Somebody has to, because it's clear The Siets won't.

Ugh.

Jay Cutler Should Follow the Example of Drew Brees

2009-03-17T02:09:00.001-04:00

Butthurt (adj)
1. An inappropriately strong negative emotional response from a perceived personal insult. Characterized by strong feelings of shame. Frequently associated with a cessation of communication and overt hostility towards the "aggressor."
2. Jay Cutler

Aha, did you see that? Michael Irvin got all full of butthurt when PacMan went to the bathroom to do a line without him.

By now, everyone has got their shots in on Jay Cutler. It's actually gotten out of hand a bit, with some "experts" alleging that Cutler is a below-average NFL quarterback. That's ridiculous, but he's handled the Broncos courting of Matt Cassel with the aplomb of Terrell Owens.

Cutler's not the first young franchise quarterback to receive perplexing treatment from the team that drafted him in recent years. That's right, I think the Broncos are in the wrong.

But I also think Cutler is way butthurt.

He could learn a thing or two by looking back at how a quarterback who has become one of the most respected men in NFL history handled nearly identical treament...

After the San Diego Chargers took Philip Rivers with the fourth pick of the 2004 NFL Draft, Drew Brees was fed up. Despite an impressive second season, Brees had been forced to compete and share reps with Doug Flutie going into the 2003 NFL season. With the selection of Rivers, it seemed Brees' destiny was to become a journeyman backup quarterback after one last year in San Diego.

Brees didn't see it that way. Fueled by the insult delivered to his doorstep in the form of Rivers and fortunate that Philip became a training camp holdout, Brees turned 12 hour offseason work days into the NFL Comeback Player of the Year award, a 104.8 quarterback rating and Pro Bowl appearance. This left A.J. Smith with just one option after splashing out on Rivers: Franchise Brees.

Once again, Brees felt slighted. He wanted to commit to San Diego long-term, he'd proven to be one of the top five quarterbacks in the NFL, he was loved by head coach Marty Schottenheimer, and he felt he deserved a fat signing bonus and job security. So, of course, he held out, pouted, skipped mini-camps, leaked information about the Chargers to ESPN reporters, and declared his career over in San Diego, right?

Erm, no. He put his head down, worked just as hard as he did the previous offseason, held off Rivers for the starting job in 2005, and produced another great season on the field. Unfortunately, in the last game of the season he suffered a torn labrum and rotator cuff.

Even after the injury, he was much-coveted in free agency. Despite how he'd be treated the last few seasons, he badly wanted to stay in San Diego. He even offered to give the Chargers a hometown discount. But in the end, they were ready to move on and so did Brees.

He was determined to once again prove A.J. Smith wrong, this time in New Orleans. Some doubted whether he'd ever throw a football more than 20 yards again due to the severity of his injury. He did that and more in finishing runner-up to best friend LaDainian Tomlinson for league MVP and sharing the Walter Payton Man of the Year Award with LT.

Cutler likely won't sniff one of those during his career if his character is as weak as it's seemed through the standoff. But if he starts acting more like Brees, his reputation with the public is still salvageable to some extent.

He should be thankful that he still is the starter in Denver and come back in 2009 more driven than ever to prove that he can win playoff games for the Broncos. If he does that, Josh McDaniels will look just as foolish as A.J. Smith does in retrospect.

And his name may no longer be the second best definition of butthurt.

Where Does It End?

2009-03-08T18:27:00.003-04:00

Like Charles Barkley at a poker table, SEC athletic directors don’t seem to know when to tighten their purse strings. As a result, operating in the high-stakes world of college football has become more expensive for the rest of the nation.

From a notorious 23 year streak with at least one program on probation (and as many as five at one time), to the $200,000 payment indiscreetly made by a Crimson Tide booster to Alabama’s prized defensive tackle recruit Albert Means in 1999, to Auburn’s failed pursuit of prospective coach Bobby Petrino a year before Tommy Tuberville, the under-contract coach they tried to replace, led the Tigers to an undefeated season, accusations of impropriety, illicit cabals and wantonness are nothing new to the conference.

Don't be shocked to see Urban Meyer paraded out of the locker room atop a bejeweled palanquin or read about LSU's players dining on foie gras and bluefin tuna in their pregame meal this fall.

But the outlay splashed in constructing Tennessee’s supposed “Super Staff” may be the most damaging example of the SEC’s desperation for championship football.

After buying out national championship winner Phillip Fulmer for $6 million in November, Tennessee threw $2 million on the doorstep of Oakland Raiders failure Lane Kiffin. What do you get for $2 million these days? According to his last boss, Raiders owner Al Davis, it will buy you a “flat-out liar.” For an extra $1.2 million, the Volunteers bought the nation’s highest paid assistant coach, Kiffin’s dad Monte.

The spending didn’t stop there.

New defensive line coach Ed Orgeron will make $650,000 in 2009, over three times more than recently departed Purdue defensive coordinator Brock Spack made in 2008. Mississippi endured their first winless conference season in 25 years under Orgeron in 2007. The Rebels ranked 14th in the nation at the conclusion of the 2008 season without him.

Alleged offensive genius Jim Chaney was named coordinator and awarded the princely sum of $380,000. Chaney, most will remember, was gently shoved out of his office in Mollenkopf Athletic Center in 2005. Few Boilermakers fans considered him a candidate for MENSA at the time.

Linebackers coach Lance Thompson, said to be a recruiting whiz, was poached for $350,000 a year from Alabama. The Tide didn’t seem to miss him while landing the nation’s top recruiting class last week.

Peering into the situation from the outside, one would guess the state and University of Tennessee must be waltzing through a fiscal purple patch. Not so, says the state’s own governor.

“… it does pain me to see the athletic department living so high while some of the academic departments are facing some very tough times,” said Gov. Phil Bredesen. “I would hope they would be a little sensitive to that fact.”

Academics?

Mr. Bredesen, as Chairman of the Board of Trustees at Tennessee, should know that football will always precede mere trivial concerns such as education down South.

It’s academic.

Check Out These Sweet Dodgers Tickets

2009-03-04T18:37:00.000-05:00

The regular season is almost here and I have seen some sweetDodgers Tickets for sale.

I have been buying tickets to the Dodgers for years online and every year I cannot find the right tickets at the right price. However, this year I came across the website Citrus Tickets and found exactly what I am looking for. It is run by a local company that specializes on tickets to events in Southern California. It made me realize how I hate buying tickets from these big nationwide sites.

I just got 2 Dodgers tickets to the home opener against the San Francisco Giants for a great price! I am very excited to go see Manny!

Don't miss out on LA Angels Tickets!

2009-03-04T18:35:00.000-05:00

The regular season is approaching and now is the best time to buy LA Angels Tickets.

I have been buying tickets to the Angels for years online and every year I cannot find the right tickets at the right price. However, this year I came across the website Citrus Tickets and found exactly what I am looking for. It is run by a local company that specializes on tickets to events in Southern California. It made me realize how I hate buying tickets from these big nationwide sites.

I just bought 4 Angels tickets to the home opener against the Oakland A's for a great price! I can hardly wait to go!

Probably, Tommy?

2009-02-23T17:15:00.004-05:00

I don’t know how AP Sports Columnist Jim Litke snuck this gem by me since I was pulling for Edgerrin in Super Bowl XLIII, but combine the 168 hours of week-long coverage the world managed prior to the big game with the bottle of rut-gut I had for lunch, and maybe I shouldn’t be surprised.

What’s your halfback done for the economy in your neck of the woods?
Speaking of “brother can you spare a dime”, somebody please hand Michigan State head coach Tom Izzo some sense. On the No. 5 Spartans’ third loss of the Big Ten season at the hands of the Boilermakers: “Does Purdue deserve credit? Probably. Are we to blame? Probably.”
Probably, Tommy?

Purdue didn’t have the most stellar offensive game either, not even managing half their shots on the night. Though the highlight reel will show Robbie Hummel coming back from the stress fracture in his back, he did only go 3-9 from the floor in 25 minutes of work.

How’s about instead of probably—as in there’s a likelihood for the grounds of believing—we’ll just go ahead a say definitively Purdue’s defense stifled the Spartans, holding them to a season-low 32.7 percent shooting from the floor and only 54 points—the second time this season they’ve been held under 60. But don’t worry East Lansing, you’re in good company: Only three squads have managed 60 points on Keady Court this season, and six teams couldn't even reach 50.

And before everyone gets up in arms, I get what Izzo’s trying to say: Was the Boiler D (10 steals, 8 blocks) great or was Michigan State having an off night? That must be the reason the ‘ol ball coach is unable to praise a defense which held his leading scorer (and turn-over artist with six), Kalin Lucus, to a horrendous 2-11 from the floor. But look at the big picture; how’d your boy eek out 14 points on such an poor night? Maybe by knocking down a not-so-off-night 10 of 12 in six trips to the charity stripe?
Probably.

Gold Stars for All (Except Gagne)

2009-02-22T13:17:00.016-05:00

Baseball movings...

With the NFL season coming to an end, the NBA and college hoops in full swing, and the ongoing A-Rod scandal it can sometimes be hard to figure out what's going on with your favorite baseball teams and players. Here's a quick recap of some of the bigger moves that have occurred recently.

2/21/09 - Twins sign Joe Crede to 1 year deal. Crede had previously been with the White Sox.

2/20/09 - Braves resign Tom Glavine to a 1 year deal. Glavine was 2-4 with a 5.54 ERA last season. He is still recovering from the elbow injury that cut that season short.

2/19/09 - Mariners sign Ken Griffey Jr. to a 1 year deal. Griffey is returning to the team that he started his future HOF career with. He played with the M's from 1989-1999 prior to leaving for Cincinnati.

Brewers resign Eric Gagne to a Minor League deal. Gagne will also not be wearing his trademark goggles after having laser eye surgery.

2/15/09 - Angels sign Bobby Abreu to a 1 year deal. Bobby was one of the few people in baseball to not be offered a fat contract by the Yankees, though he put up a .296 average, 20 HR and 100 RBI in 2008.

2/12/09 - Nationals sign Adam Dunn to a 2 year deal. Dunn had been with the Diamondbacks at the end of last season after being traded by the Reds.

Other than the Gagne deal (Gagne hasn't mattered since his days with the Dodgers), I give all of the GMs that made these deals gold stars.

Dunn, Abreu, and Crede are going to improve the rosters of the teams that they head to. The Nats and Angels get sluggers (LA working to replace the power they lost in Teixeira) and the Twinkies get a solid all-around player in Crede (assuming he can stay healthy for once).

The Griffey and Glavine deals are more sentimental than practical, but I applaud them nonetheless. Griffey has only one more year in him, and it's nice to see him head back to the Emerald City rather than add another cap to his closet. Since he will likely don a Mariner cap on his HOF plaque, it's good to see him end his career there. Glavine is equally washed-up. However, if he is able to return to the Bravos, then perhaps he can end on a solid note for the team that he helped turn into a powerhouse of the 90's.
[Editor's Note: Braves are often considered the team of the 90's; Braves titles: 1 Yankees:3, including 2 over Braves...hmm?]

The nicest thing by far about all of these deals is that they are short-term. Rather than the long term contracts that the Yanks, Mets, and others were throwing around like candy this year these teams have chosen to play it conservatively and sign big names to short contracts. We all know that players play harder in a contract year. It's a fact. It looks like these GMs pay attention.

Trying to Find Some Humor in Steroids

2009-02-17T20:59:00.004-05:00

I love baseball. I always have and probably always will. I remember watching Yankees and Cubs games with my dad and cheering on my favorites: Mattingly, Grace, Tartabull, Leyritz, and Jeter. I respected the Gwynns, Ripkens, Sandbergs, and Big Hurts of the world.

Now I can't help but wonder if the sport that I love is dying? I thought that the strike in '94 would kill baseball. Had it not been for McGwire and Sosa's slugfest in '98 that death sentence would have likely been true. But it seems we are now paying the price for that magical summer at the end of the last millennium. Every day it seems a new star or another living legend is being connected with this horrible black eye that is steroids/performance-enhancing drugs.

I have not yet made up my mind as to where I stand on issues such as the legitimacy of Bonds' records or the place of some of these athletes in the Hall. I will continue to wrestle with these issues as a fan of the game and will post them on here as they come to light. There are even some who argue that most of these so-called issues are moot (Billynho being one, and I hope he will expand the conversations we've had into full articles). Regardless of my stance or anyone else's on the issue of sterioids, I do stand by one thing...

In any case involving scandal or alleged scandal, I think that humor is one of the best ways to expose and shed light on the issue and I think it is one of the best uses of our freedom of speech to lampoon and satirize the issues of our day. With that said, I came across a very funny picture on ESPN's Page 2 today. The original can be found here. Click the image below to see it in full size.

Does it answer all of the questions we have about this dark time in baseball? No. Is it 100% fair to all parties? No. But, does it make us laugh a little and maybe not feel so horrible about the direction that baseball has taken? I hope.

Wake Forest, Duke Falter But Still My Picks For March

2009-02-17T14:56:00.009-05:00

I was looking over the futures for this year's March Madness at a sports betting site and saw about what I figured. North Carolina is the favorite at +250. Then there's UCONN, Pitt, and Oklahoma at +650, +800, and +950, respectively. Purdue is chillin at +3000 which actually makes them one of the favorites (tied with Georgetown and Memphis and ahead of Texas). Before the season, I'd have been all over that if I'd seen it. Not today.

If I'd been asked two weeks ago who I thought would win the NCAA Tournament, an undefeated Wake Forest (+1400) would have been my choice hands down. Since then, Wake has lost four games (three on the road) and tumbled down the polls a bit. They're still my pick; they're built for March. They've got the nation's best point guard, the electric Jeff Teague. They've got a slew of bulky, athletic bigs in James Johnson, Al-Farouq Aminu, and Chas McFarland. And they've proven they can beat other top teams with wins over Duke, Clemson, North Carolina~~, and Indiana~~.

Duke (+1600) forever etched its name atop my list of favorites with their soul-crushing abuse of Purdue in West Lafayette. They're a veteran bunch, deep, big, and quick. I hate them, but I know they'll be in the Final Four.

By the way, Purdue is a for tonight's game...

Who are you picking for March Madness? Who's good value? Let me know in THE FORUM...

Lache Seastrunk: The Black Vinny Sutherland

2009-02-16T03:28:00.006-05:00

Rivals is calling him the top player in the Class of 2010, the best running back in years, and the next Walter Payton. I watch his videos and think, "Oh, no way, a black Vinny Sutherland!" Which is sweet because I loved Vinny Sutherland. But last I checked he wasn't in the Hall of Fame. Hang on, let me check again.

Nope.

Still, I'd be way down to be roomies if you come to Purdue, Lache. I'm not gonna give you a mansion like Reggie Bush got, but how about a house on Grant Street? Call the cellular, bub.

Release the Beast, Marshawn Lynch Arrested Again

2009-02-15T21:34:00.004-05:00

Marshawn Lynch was arrested again Wednesday on felony gun charges. Kornheiser's Cartel is not surprised (is anyone?), but Billynho would have gladly bailed him out when he arrives in California this week if needed.

The 10 Most Famous Athletes in the World

2009-02-15T17:03:00.005-05:00

In Bill Simmons NBA Trade Value Column last week, he tries to come up with a list of the 10 most famous athletes in the world:

"Quick question though: Yao is one of the 10 most famous athletes in the world, right? So what would the top 10 look like? I had a great argument about this with someone recently and we honestly couldn't figure it out -- definitely Yao and Tiger, definitely Beckham and Federer, definitely Phelps, maybe Thierry Henry, maybe a Formula One guy (I won't even embarrass myself by guessing), maybe Kobe ... and then ... I mean ... does LeBron make the list? Brady or (Peyton) Manning? Nadal? More soccer players? Any female tennis players? How do we figure this out? I have mentioned this question to a few different people and drawn a sweeping range of answers. Maybe there's no answer. My head hurts."

There are a lot better answers than you came up with Bill, but I wont hold it against you. Most Americans wouldn't have a clue...

Today's Muhammad Alis (1) Tiger Woods. (2) David Beckham. (3) Ronaldinho (who Bill somehow fails to mention). They could walk into almost any remote village in the world and be recognized. Golf is played the world over. Asian women shave their pubic hair to match Golden Ball's latest hair-do. If you see Ronaldinho's face and mane once, you'll never forget it.

Over 1.3 Billion People Know Me (4) Yao Ming.

Icons (5) Roger Federer. (6) Usain Bolt. Federer will likely retire as tennis' greatest champion ever (until Nadal retires). Bolt got the attention of the entire world at the Summer Olympics.

It's the World's Most Popular Sport (7) Kaka. (8) Lionel Messi. (9) Thierry Henry. It's probably hard for Americans who only have a vague awareness or none at all of these three to accept, but in the interests of accuracy, these are probably the three most famous footballers after David Beckham and Ronaldinho. Would Kobe Bryant or LeBron James be recognized walking through Africa, Europe, or Asia? It's doubtful. LeBron may someday reach the heights of popularity seen only by Michael Jordan in the basketball world. But not yet. Kaka, Messi, and Henry would be swarmed in almost any city on the globe. Same goes for Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Kun Aguero, Wayne Rooney, and Franck Ribery. Alexandre Pato will one day be among the most famous people in the world, too. Soccer is huge in the mega-populous China and India and even more massive in South America, Europe, and Africa.

Kind of Guessing (10) Lance Armstrong. He was utterly dominant in his own sport, which gets you recognition from many places that wouldn't normally care. But beyond that, he's become the face of the cancer research efforts worldwide. He's generated billions of dollars through his name and image. I can't definitively say he's more famous than a Ronaldo, Nadal, or even F1's first black star Lewis Hamilton. But he is the most famous domestically and is known all through Europe.

Not Buying It Four continents of the world couldn't pick Phelps out of a police line-up. Kobe and LeBron are probably close, but I feel pretty strongly that the soccer superstars might be three times more well known. I mentioned Lewis Hamilton and if he wins a few more F1 titles, he'll finish his career as one of the most famous faces globally. If Nadal goes on a major run for the next half decade, he could appear. A charismatic heavyweight boxer has the potential to be among the world's most famous. No NFL players are in the top 50 worldwide. Same goes for MLB (and cricket for that matter).

Conquering the World (Wide Web) - 2/14/2009

2009-02-14T18:18:00.004-05:00

My beloved Boilermakers eked out a win today in Iowa City. With Play like that they'll likely be slaughtered by the Spartans on Tuesday. With that said, and in honor of how crazy the Big Ten season has been, I've decided to keep a Midwestern flavor in my recap of the web's best.

John Paxson ousted in the Windy City:
With the Bulls being basement dwellers practically ever since His Airness left town, everybody saw this coming. Here we have a good recap of his stellar moves and signings.
[Luol's Dong]

AL Central Preview
Even though it's only February, diehard baseball fans are already looking towards the the upcoming season. I have to agree with picking the Twins, though the ChiSox may give them a run. With the AL East as stacked as ever, there will only be one playoff spot coming from the Central. [Midwest Sports Fans]

Tom Crean Continues to Bring Respectibality to Bloomington
The Cartel has long been a fan of Crean. We loved what he did at Marquette and hoped that he might help heal IU after the disastorous exits of Knight, Sampson, and to a lesser extent Davis. It seems that he might be living up to this reformer hype. Though we will never be IU fans, we are glad to see this kind of action. [Larry Brown Sports]

Bears Make Roster Changes
Long time Bears will be seen elsewhere next year. Mike Brown and Marty Booker were not offered new contracts. Also it appears that John Tait will retire. [Chicago Sun-Times]

2009 NFL Mock Draft

2009-02-12T01:57:00.003-05:00

After writing the first two mock drafts, Billynho heard from Terry Robiskie (Brian's father, a very nice man) and Marcus Thigpen's brother. Rey Maualuga's sex therapist... I'm waiting.

Check out the original from January 2nd and the January 18th update, then keep reading for the truth on how the April 25 NFL Draft first round will shake out:

1) Detroit Lions- OT Andre Smith. I'm sticking with this. It makes too much sense. Everyone says that the Lions must take a quarterback, a "FACE OF THE FRANCHISE" with the top pick. Why? This season proved that you can win in the NFL without a top-10 quarterback. At some point, the position needs addressed in the long term. But the Lions must get value out of this selection immediately. They need to win fast, and not just because they're coming off the worst season in NFL history. Detroit will be impacted by the economic crisis as much as any city in America. Will laid off motor makers be willing to pay to support a loser? And beyond that... What quarterback could emerge unscathed from that mess?

While can't miss tackles do sometimes miss (Robert Gallery and Leonard Davis), they have a much better track record than underclassmen quarterbacks (Ryan Leaf, et al) in untenable situations. Take care of your left tackle position for the next ten years (it worked for the Ravens and Rams with Jonathan Ogden and Orlando Pace) and go after Matt Cassel, Kyle Orton (depending on how the Bears situation shakes out), Vince Young, or Matt Leinart (if Kurt Warner returns) in trades. The offense would be substantially better next season, and the Lions could focus on defense with their second first round pick and beyond.

2) St. Louis Rams- WR Michael Crabtree. Rumors are floating around that Torry Holt might bolt. Donnie Avery and Dane Looker would be their top two returning wide receivers in that scenario. A quarterback would be excess to requirements. Marc Bulger has been a Pro Bowler quite recently; the Rams have made a huge financial commitment to him in recent years. They should restore his tools and see if he can fix the offense before spending a high draft pick replacing him, only to watch him prove he wasn't the problem after all down the road (see: Kurt Warner). Crabtree is a mega-talent in the mould of Larry Fitzgerald, Calvin Johnson, Marquis Colston and Brandon Marshall. If he can come in and make a big impact, the Rams offense could roll right away. He's a safe pick for a team with the potential to rebound quickly. If he fulfills the promise he's shown up til now, he could be the type of unstoppable force that makes quarterbacks look good on his own.

3) Kansas City Chiefs- OT Eugene Monroe. Adding Pioli as the decision maker in the front office completely alters any perception of what they might draft. New England developed clear patterns during his collaboration with Bill Belichick. Some will speculate that New England found out just how important a good quarterback is; I'd argue the Patriots have proven great value can be found at quarterback later in the draft. At their best, the Patriots have ranked amongst the league's best on both lines. The pick will be a tackle, and they can pick up one of the aforementioned available quarterbacks sure to be shopped around the league. Hopefully Monroe can be as successful as longtime left tackle Matt Light has been for the Patriots since being drafted in the second round in 2001. Look for them to aggressively pursue Albert Haynesworth, too. The Patriots have never been shy to make a splash in free agency, and Haynesworth would be huge for the Chiefs.

4) Seattle Seahawks- OT Michael Oher- The Seahawks could make a case for drafting a quarterback, but Seneca Wallace was excellent in extended playing time this season, and Matt Hasselbeck is a former Pro Bowler. There are many teams with worse situations at quarterback in the NFL. Their main needs are on the lines. They lack high-end talent at defensive tackle and need to infuse young talent at offensive tackle. Because it's hard to spot a defensive tackle worthy of a top-five pick, Monroe is the pick. They were burned when acquiring Deion Branch, but a trade for Chad Johnson (2nd round pick?) might work for both the Seahawks and Bengals. They're another team that could rebound in a big way in 2009.

5) Cleveland Browns- OLB Aaron Curry. The Browns defense managed a measly 17 sacks in 2008 and taking the 2008 Butkus Award winner would go a long way towards turning the unit around. Their offense ranked 31st in points scored in 2008; please take a bow Ken Dorsey. Curry made 15 tackles for loss from his outside linebacker position at Wake and is seen as an elite tackler and a potentially disrupting force. Beanie Wells is an option here, too.

6) Cincinnati Bengals- RB Chris "Beanie" Wells. The Bengals need help on the line, but Wells is the first guy Bob Sanders can't tackle solo. The Bengals need an infusion of toughness and competitiveness. Anyone who watched Beanie at Ohio State knows he'll bring both.

7) Oakland Raiders- OT Jason Smith. Davis loves sexy names so don't rule out a Jeremy Maclin here, but the Raiders need help on the line. This would be four in the first round, which would be a record. A team needs what a team needs, I guess. We'll see.

8) Jacksonville Jaguars- LB Rey Maualuga. Maualuga has been NFL-ready since he was 17 and the 10-time All American (or so it seems) will be an elite linebacker for the next decade in the league. Are Samoans ever busts? It's been confirmed that he is Samoan. And I can already picture him in Jacksonville. The preseason photo spreads will be badass. He's got every chance to be an NFL poster boy for the next decade. The NFL might as well grab their cameras and invite him to a park to play with kids. Every defense needs a Maualuga and he should go higher in actuality.

9) Green Bay Packers- DE Brian Orakpo. The Packers played better than their record indicated in 2008 and have the potential to bounce back and win their division as early as 2009. They were 26th in the NFL in run yards allowed per game in 2008, and shoring that area up could go a long way towards guaranteeing they improve. Signing Albert Haynesworth would be ideal, but who doesn't want him? Orakpo is huge and productive. Adding a young cornerback like Malcolm Jenkins would be wise to consider, too, with Al Harris and Charles Woodson in their 30's.

10) San Francisco 49ers- QB Mark Sanchez. Sanchez's numbers in a pro-style offense at USC are impressive, but so are the guys he handed off and threw the ball to. The 49ers once again are looking for a long-term answer at quarterback. The best thing you'll hear anyone say about Shaun Hill is that he didn't play like Shaun Hill in 2008. How do you feel about that? The 49ers will aim higher with Sanchez, and hope genuine compliments will be paid to him in the near future.

11) Buffalo Bills- DE Michael Johnson It was a statistic that stunned some in a Bills fan forum in my first mock draft... Jason Peters gave up more sacks than any starting tackle in the NFL in 2008. A major pass rusher on defense would be great also, since they made just 24 sacks in 2008. Johnson's blend of size and quickness is oft-compared to Dwight Freeney and Julius Peppers. If the Bills were smart, they'd just swoop for the proven article since Peppers is available.

12) Denver Broncos- DE/LB Everette Brown Denver's defense was awful in 2008, but you'll have that when Ebenezer Ekuban and John Engelberger are every-down defensive players. They're, like, 75's on Madden. Yuck. Adding someone who can get to the quarterback would be tremendous. Hopefully, Brown has that kind of potential? He made 13.5 sacks at Florida State last season.

13) Washington Redskin- DT BJ Raji This would be a throwaway pick, but Raji keeps shooting up draft boards. Fellow mock drafters... he's in too good of shape! Have you never seen Ted Washington or Tony Siragusa!?!? Raji is a bust. I like my DT's like I like my HC's. FAT!!!!!!!!!!

14) New Orleans Saints- CB Malcolm Jenkins Saints fans long ago grew tired of watching their cornerbacks give up leads late in games. Jenkins has the talent to go much higher and might be atop the Saints draft board overall. If he isn't, he should be. With the Saints recent track record in the draft, expect Jenkins to be drafted, lauded, and then cut by training camp. I'm a disgruntled fan. They have to take him here though. Don't you ruin him Sean Payton. Don't you dare.

15) Houston Texans- LB/DE Aaron Maybin Maybin was one of the leaders of Penn State's defense this season, and his hyper-productive style may finally cause a unit chock full of high draft picks to mesh. Teaming Maybin and Mario Williams could have devastating effects on opposing offenses. His multi-position versatility is a plus.

16) San Diego Chargers- C/G Alex Mack Ladainian Tomlinson's productivity slipped in 2008, in large part due to poor line play on the interior. Mack will be a force immediately and could slide over to center should Nick Hardwick ever get injured. Sounds like a fit to me.

17) New York Jets- QB Matt Stafford With the Brett Favre experiment mercifully over, the Jets will nab Stafford to be their quarterback of the future. You probably think I'm crazy for letting him fall this far, but I just don't see what is so great about him. Okay, he throws hard. So did Ryan Leaf. Only Ryan Leaf was much better in college. So maybe they could just try to trade for Chad Pennington? I hear he is a pretty good quarterback...

18) Chicago Bears- WR Jeremy Maclin Maclin would add another gamebreaker to the Bears' offense opposite Devin Hester. How B.A. would it be to see those two B.A.M.F.'s running a double-reverse in which Kyle Orton sneaks out of the backfield to the far sideline and catches a pass from Maclin that he runs in for a touchdown. Maclin could be the first player in history to pass, run, catch, kick return, and punt return for touchdowns in the same game! I'm way down. By the way, the Bears are nuts if they end up running Kyle Orton off before next season. Absolutely bonkers.

19) Tampa Bay Buccaneers- OLB Brian Cushing A four year starter at USC, Cushing will be more than capable of replacing the 35-year old Derrick Brooks. Bucs fans didn't like this choice at last update, but outside of Barrett Ruud, Tampa has very old or very uninspiring options. Cushing could have played in the NFL at age 19.

20) Detroit Lions- CB Vontae Davis The Illinois cornerback and brother of Vernon will immediately upgrade their secondary. What were they thinking when they traded Dre Bly for two pieces of garbage. You could start a lot of sentences with "What were they thinking..." when looking back on Matt Millen. Let's hope this one goes better.

21) Philadelphia Eagles- G Duke Robinson If the economy doesn't rebound and food becomes scarce, Robinson could help sustain the Eagles. Survival of the fittest.

22) Minnesota Vikings- OT Eben Britton The Vikings are crying out for a right tackle, and DAMNET, it wouldn't be fair to end the Tarvaris Jackson experiment until he's got one. When he still sucks with one (and he will), then by all means go ahead and cut away. My first 2010 projection is that the Vikings will be taking Colt McCoy with the 18th pick. Oh wow, the Vikings are looking really good for 2012.

23) New England Patriots- WR Percy Harvin Really? Could they honestly get this lucky? To add arguably the top playmaker in the draft would be unfair. But the Patriots don't play by the rules. Randy Moss only has a few seasons left in him, and New England can afford to look ahead with this pick. Harvin has lightning speed and the Patriots will figure out how to utilize it. That Tom Brady, everything goes his way.

24) Atlanta Falcons- DT Peria Jerry The Falcons have a need at defensive tackle, and this one is a FATTY. Jerry is about to embark on a 16 year career with five teams who will all complain that he needs to cut weight, but damnet, he really shouldn't because it's just hilarious when a fat man rumbles and stumbles on a fumble return, which is how Jerry will become a household name, taking back a 31 yard fumble to the three yard line in the 2017 NFC Championship before falling into a four day coma due to oxygen debt, and when he emerges he'll make the studio rounds and talk about the ordeal, where he'll make contacts that will keep in touch until 2026 when he'll sign a television deal to do what Warren Sapp does, whatever the hell that is. You heard it here first.

25) Miami Dolphins- LB James Laurenitis How did Joey Porter not make the All Pro team this season? An abomination. I'm guessing that Laurenitis makes it if he ever has 18 sacks in a season. He won't, but he'll be damn good.

26) Baltimore Ravens- WR Brian Robiskie Flacco was solid in his debut season, but he needs more weapons to throw to going forward. Maclin and Harvin will be off the board, but Robiskie ain't bad at all. Robiskie has been receiving good reviews from pre-draft games and workouts early. Shout out to Terry.

27) Indianapolis Colts- RB Shonn Greene Joseph Addai has durability issues and his performance is fading. Dominic Rhodes is at the end of the line. If the Colts fail to add a running back this season, it could come back to haunt them. Greene may be one of the more underrated prospects in this draft as he was literally unstoppable for Iowa all year. Trade Addai for a pick and roll with Greene and Mike Hart. You won't regret it Bill Polian. Although you rarely regret anything you do, so go ahead and go with your gut.

28) Philadelphia Eagles- OT Phil Loadholt With aging tackles Jon Runyan and Tra Thomas, Loadholt fills a need and can develop for a year or two. Combined with Robinson, the Eagles are reloaded up front.

29) New York Giants- TE Brandon Pettigrew Kevin Boss is solid, workmanlike and decent, but he's Kevin Boss. No offense, but Pettigrew can be so much more than just Kevin Boss, without the attitude of that Jeremy Shockey guy.

30) Tennessee Titans- WR Hakeem Nicks Nicks had a monster season for North Carolina and capped it off with 217 receiving yards in the Meineke Car Care Bowl. The only weakness of the Titans is a lack of playmakers. At over 16 yards a catch, Nicks is a playmaker, if anything. And he looks great in all shades of blue. A perfect fit!

31) Arizona Cardinals- RB Knowshon Moreno It's been well documented that Edgerrin James is on his way out (and good riddance). Perhaps Moreno can do what so many have failed to in recent years... run for 4 yards a carry.

32) Pittsburgh Steelers- S Patrick Chung Chung is the next Bob Sanders. I promise. Teaming Chung and Troy Polamalu together back at safety... So many sweet YouTube vids are going to be rolling out of Heinz Field. Make it happen. Someone pointed out in my last mock draft that Chung and Polamalu wouldn't be good enough in coverage together. If true, the Saints will slurp him up in Round Two. I can dream at least.

What do you think? Let us know in the official mock draft thread in OUR FORUM.

Chelsea Need The Special One

2009-02-10T02:10:00.001-05:00

I almost cried the day he left, and I pine for the days of old every time I look at a picture like the one above. Chelsea just isn't the same without him. I'm not sure if it could be the same again, but we have to try. Bring him back Roman.

The Special One... Frank... Terry... Carvalho gesticulating... Duff and Robben flying down the wings... Essien enforcing. Bring him back.

Champions League games against Liverpool and Barcelona that feel like the most important thing going on in the world for those two hours. Two weeks of build-up in the press for Manchester United match-ups. Bring. Him. Back.

Sell Florent Malouda and Didier Drogba. Sign David Villa up top and Franck Ribery for the left wing.

Cech,
Ashley Cole, Terry, Carvalho, Bosingwa,
Mikel, Essien,
Ribery, Lampard Cole,
Villa.

We'd be all set to challenge Manchester United again. Chelsea can recapture the magic.

Please.

Bring him back.

Alex Rodriguez Should Retire

2009-02-09T00:58:00.003-05:00

My initial reaction to hearing that Alex Rodriguez tested positive for steroids years ago was, "Oh well, he's still my second favorite player all-time behind Sammy Sosa."

But after listening to how pathetic, butthurt, and personally offended the rest of the world seems to be by the fact that Rodriguez took steroids when they weren't illegal in baseball, I've got advice for A-Rod.

Retire.

If we were to do an old-fashioned pros and cons checklist about the decision, the list is overwhelmingly stacked with pros.

Pros:
Already rich
Won't have to be around Jeter
Already hated, now it'll be so much worse
You'll be able to enjoy October for once
The paparazzi will let you buy hookers and strippers in peace
No more steroids tests
You can play shortstop again for any Sunday League team in the country

Cons:
$250 million (that you don't need, but you'll be reminded of constantly)
You'll miss out on records (that'll be astericked anyways)
You've never won a World Series (you're A-Rod, so you probably wouldn't anyways)
Billynho would miss you (but sadly, no one else would)

I don't know why I didn't think of it sooner, and most people will probably think I'm joking. But if I were Alex Rodriguez, I'd retire. It's a no-brainer. Which is good since the steroids may have cooked the ones he had.

Let's Let Michael Phelps Chill

2009-02-09T00:25:00.003-05:00

(Editor's Note: Quick update after the period of inactivity... I apologize for the lack of pieces. I was out of town and busy. I'll also likely be unavailable to write while traveling around for a few weeks in the second half of February and early March... hopefully Scoop Denham and The Siets can pick up the slack. Now then...)

I was unfortunately in a room with Around the Horn on early last week, and I almost threw my right Air Bakin at the television whilst suffering through Jackie MacMullan's take on The Tale of Michael Phelps and Some Kid's Bong: (paraphrasing from memory) "I have to say I was incredibly disturbed by the picture and just angry at Phelps. As a parent, it's hard to explain to your crying kids what exactly their role model is doing."

Luckily, I know my readers will share my permanent disdain for MacMullan and her kids after reading that garbage. If they're distraught over Phelps, how will they react when Bob Ryan is caught in Pickle Park with Dan LeBatard?

Umm, Jackie, it's none of our business what Michael Phelps does outside the pool as long as he's not shooting up a club. Yeah, the drunk driving thing was bad, but he's had no relapse from that. I'd live my life stoned if Bob Costas was stalking me, too.

Jackie, put on an Incubus CD and chiiiilllll dude.

Phelps seems like a dork, but not the nephew of Satan. Your kids should be able to respect what he does in the pool every four years and forget about him outside of it. They didn't become a fan for Phelps the person, they loved Phelps the swimmer.

Webb, Hall, Rupp, and Fernandez Can All Be Champions

2009-02-03T01:30:00.001-05:00

They say all good things come in threes, so longtime track fans should stifle their laughs while observing those less informed deluding themselves into believing the emergence of record-breaking high schoolers Alan Webb, Galen Rupp, and German Fernandez in a singular decade represents a watershed period for American distance running. To those in the know (paraphrasing), Webb is more uncomfortable under the bright lights than an incontinent glossophobic delivering a eulogy after Happy Hour. Rupp is a sub-standard concept prototype conceived by Nike marketers (under direct orders from Phil Knight) to challenge the Africans, but he'll fail because he's, umm, Gay(len). And sure Fernandez is fast, but his Achilles heel is his Achilles heel. Try as they might, though, few can resist refreshing race threads when the aforementioned troika compete.

This generation of runners, led by Webb, Ryan Hall, Rupp, and now German- Dathan Ritzenhein, Matt Tegenkamp, Chris Solinsky, and Leonel Manzano deserve mention, too, among others-, are threatening to break every American record from 1500 meters to the marathon. Webb holds the mile record, is 1.14 seconds off Bernard Lagat's 2005 1500 meters performance, and has- for a short span of time- been the fastest middle distance runner alive. Even if Fernandez falls short of his ultimate ceiling as a runner, his potential is such that he could still claim the American 5,000 meters record in a few years time (assuming Tegenkamp or Solinsky don't lower it first). Sifting through all the criticisms of Rupp and looking at his body of work reveals he's consistently improved his times and started winning races since his days tagging along the back of the pack in elite meets just out of high school; his teeing off on Meb Keflezighi's 10,000 meters record in 2009 will be a compelling story to follow. Hall debuted in the half marathon with a stunning American record and challenged the pacemakers to run faster at last year's London Marathon en route to a 2:06:17 fifth place finish. It will likely only be a matter of months before another record falls.

The United States went two decades without producing a legitimate long distance world-beater (Bob Kennedy tried admirably). Forced to compete with Africans born at elevation, dopers, and the tendency of more mainstream sports stripping away the best prospects, domestic distance was boring and uneventful.

It's hard to pinpoint the impetus behind the overnight popularization (in relevant terms) of the sport, but Tim Layden's 2001 Sports Illustrated profile of Webb and Ritz was likely a contributing factor (along with the dissemination of information brought on by the Internet). Interestingly, Layden accurately posited in the piece: "The two runners, one fast, the other tireless, are just the beginning. Generations of young Americans will follow, training hard, running fast and beating the world. Won't they?"

They did... sort of. Solinsky came two years later. Mega-talent Matt Withrow and Rupp the next year. And now, the best yet, Fernandez.

Fernandez deserves special mention after breaking the indoor World Junior Record in the mile running 3:56.5. Much was made of the fact that he still ran demonstrably slower than the outdoor junior record, but suspicions of age fabrication for all of those records could be supplied as a counter-point. Independent of whether or not he's the faster junior miler in history, German can realistically aim to one day be the fastest professional alive. He'll need to drop a manageable seven or so seconds off his 1,500 pace to challenge for gold someday at that distance. Everyone is anxious for his 5,000 meters debut; the former Applebee's worker will be eating good in the neighborhood (I couldn't help the bad pun) with anything sub-13:20.

Speaking of eating, Webb's 2009 competitive racing debut is fast approaching. Even if he bombs, don't fret. By now we've all seen that he has nine lives. He's got a few to go and will emerge the better from this rough spot. In the unlikely event that he doesn't, the world of American distance running isn't over without him. Celebrate the excitement he provided for the last half-decade and take solace in knowing that he's helped inspire today's purple patch of would-be champions that can be champions.

Dick Vitale Is On Drugs

2009-02-02T20:22:00.001-05:00

...And I want what he's been taking all these years.

Lots of pictures after the jump...

The Best and Funniest Super Bowl Commercials Ever All-Time in History

2009-01-31T17:22:00.001-05:00

We're mere hours from the highlight of the season for football fans... the 2009 Super Bowl. Coincidentally, we're also mere hours from the highlight of the season for non-football fans... the 2009 Super Bowl Commercials. Oh wow, look, a list of the best all-time:

9. Coke Mean Joe Greene Commercial 1980

8.Bud Light Rock, Paper, Scissors Commercial 2007

7. Apple MacIntosh Commercial 1984

6. Nissan Danger Zone Birds Commercial 1993

5. Original Budweiser Frogs Commercial 1995

4. 2005 Fed Ex Caveman Commercial 2005

3.Bud Light Dude Commercial 2006

2. Budweiser Wassup Commercial 2001

1. Budweiser Swear Jar Commercial 2007

Conquering the World (Wide Web) - 1/31/2009

2009-01-31T13:29:00.009-05:00

Pre-Super Bowl Linkage

The Siets will be wolfing down nachos and various other foodstuffs tomorrow at Weisolas' during the big game and not caring in the slightest who wins the game. For the rest of you who may or may not care about the contest in Tampa, here are some links to get you through the weekend.

International Super Bowl Coverage:
For all of our readers who are outside the states tomorrow, here's a list of broadcasters that will be airing SB XLIII. [Fang's Bites]

Day in the Life, Déjà Vu?
In much the same way that this site parodies great athletes, TiGG lampoons a great actor.
[This is God Given]

Holy European Point Guards, Batman!
The Cartel's love of Ricky Rubio is well documented (here and here). The Kings have always been one of the more global NBA teams and one of their very global fans gives us Yanks a glimpse at two of Europe's best. [Sactown Royalty]

Will we ever get a break from TO?
VH1, that bastion of fine programming, is creating a "reality" show starring Terrell Owens.[tonyblogs]

In honor of Detective Roc Hoover, please post your favorite Mark Schlereth quotes/moments in our forum.