Wednesday, November 04, 2009

Will tonight be the night?

The buzz has already started - will the Yankees blow a 3-1 lead similar to what they did in the 2004 ALCS when they choked on a 3-0 series lead to Boston...

The doubters are out there...the past haunts them...but tonight, I say they will finish the World Series...

Rob Ryan needs to shut his mouth and do his job

The Cleveland Browns are pathetic...the NFL should fine the Browns organization for not putting their best team on the field...because of financial reasons, the Browns are not playing Brady Quinn at quarterback, instead they are opting for Derek Anderson...

I am not saying Quinn is the next Tom Brady or even another Tony Romo, but he deserves another chance as the starter, especially since Anderson has been putrid in his role...on Sunday he got picked ?? times including one for a Chicago touchdown...a few weeks back he completed only 2 passes the entire game...two passes!!!!!...

These executive decisions and disgusting play on the field has finally gotten to some of the diehard Browns fans...two fans who have season tickets in the Dawg Pound are planning a protest before the Monday, November 16 home game against Baltimore...one of the fans, known as Dawg Pound Mike, is upset with the team...they are asking all fans to not enter the game until after kickoff...by no means are they telling fans to stay away...they just want to make a point to the Browns organization that they are not pleased with the team and management's effort...

Dawg Pound Mike said, ""We're tired of the losing ... tired of the booing"...

This planned protest has gotten under the skin of first year year defensive coordinator Rob Ryan...Ryan stated (about the planned protest), "It pisses me off. This is a town that's tough, that loves football. Nobody's happy. I hate me too, I already said it. So they hate me too, great. It doesn't mean you turn your back. Bottom line is, my gosh, a little adversity happens, you don't turn your back, you fight. You rub your hands together, you fight harder. That's what we're going to do on defense."...

First off, Ryan has no right to make that comment...sure he is employed by the Browns organization, but he does not understand that consistent losing and abysmal performance the Browns have been displaying to their loyal fans since they came back in the NFL in 1999...for 10 years these fans have watched rotten football...

Over these last 10 years, assistant coaches have come and gone through Cleveland like a revolving door...once these assistants leave, they show no loyalty to the Browns organization...next year at this time, Ryan could be coaching in Seattle, Dallas, or anywhere else in the league...

He is not a true Cleveland Brown...he does not bleed orange and brown...he is here for a short stay because he is receiving paycheck...Ryan has only been in Cleveland for less than a year...he does not understand the fan's frustration with this organization's inept decisions...also, at the rate his defense is performing this season, it looks like Ryan will not be in Cleveland long...

So Ryan should just shut his mouth and try and get his defense to play better for the fans who are shelling out hard working money to watch a team perform like crap...if Ryan is such a renegade, like his father Buddy, he should speak out publicly about how the organization is wrong for not playing Quinn just because they don't want to pay him a bonus...instead, Ryan spoke out at the fans...this is just another example of a Browns staff person who is a knucklehead...

Here is a bone for all the old-school Browns fans...a 1:17 clip of Bernie Kosar against Denver in a regular season game...the memories...those are the days when I rooted for the Browns...

Tuesday, November 03, 2009

Lou Filippo, referee in Balboa-Creed II bout, dies

Lou Filippo, a California referee and judge for more than 30 years and member of the World Boxing Hall of Fame, died Monday in Los Angeles. He was 83.

Before becoming one of the top ring officials and refereeing and judging dozens of world championship bouts, Filippo boxed professionally as a lightweight from 1947 to 1957, exclusively in Southern California. The World War II veteran compiled a professional record of 23-9-3 with 8 KOs.

He finished his career with a pair of fights against Hall of Famer and former lightweight champion Carlos Ortiz, a nine-round no-decision followed by a seventh-round knockout loss.

Filippo's presence in the ring led to numerous television and film appearances, including parts as a referee in the second, third, fourth and fifth installments of the "Rocky" films.

Filippo began refereeing and judging in the mid-1970s, working primarily in Southern California. But he was also associated with the WBC, which held a moment of silence and a 10-bell count in Filippo's honor during its annual convention, taking place this week in Jeju, South Korea.

Perhaps Filippo's most famous judging assignment came in 1987, when he served on the panel for the controversial Sugar Ray Leonard-"Marvelous" Marvin Hagler middleweight championship fight in Las Vegas.

Boxing fans argue to this day about who deserved to win the fight, although Leonard was awarded a split-decision victory. It was Filippo who scored the fight for Hagler 115-113.

How can Derek Anderson be a starting quarterback in the NFL?

Will someone please tell me why Derek Anderson is still the starting quarterback for the Cleveland Browns...well, I guess we all know why - because the Browns organization does not want to pay Brady Quinn his bonus if he takes 70% of the snaps...so in order to save money, since Week 4, the Browns have rolled out Derek Anderson...here are his numbers:

Week 4 vs. Cincinnati
26/48 - 269 yards - 1 int - 1 td

Week 5 @ Buffalo
2/17 - 23 yards - 1 int - 0 td

Week 6 @ Pittsburgh
9/24 - 122 yards - 1 int - 1 td

Week 7 vs. Green Bay
12/29 - 99 yards - 1 int - 0 td

Week 8 @ Chicago
6/17 - 76 yards - 2 int - o td

Combined
55/135 - 589 yards - 6 int - 2 td

Average per game
11/27 - 117 yards

This is why the Browns are one of the worst franchises in professional sports...

Monday, November 02, 2009

Don't forget about TCU in the BCS title mix

1. Florida (8-0) - the Gators took care of business against a once good Georgia ballclub...
2. Texas (8-0) - the Longhorns have been looking real good with wins over Oklahoma, Missouri, and Okie State...
3. Alabama (8-0) - the Tide are coming off a bye week as they host LSU...
4. Cincinnati (8-0) - the Bearcats have not missed a beat since Pike has been sidelined...
5. Boise State (8-0) - that win over Oregon is looking large in the grand scheme...

6. TCU (8-0) - it is time for the nation to recognize the Horned Frogs...Andy Dalton (photo) is their starting quarterback...
7. Oregonn (7-1) - the Ducks are the best 1 loss team after they crushed USC...Jeremiah Masoli made the SC defense look like Michigan's defense...
8. Iowa (8-0) - the Hawkeyes are still standing with a donut in the loss column...they go to Columbus in 2 weeks...
9. LSU (7-1) - a win this week in Tuscaloosa will put the Tigers back into the national title hunt...
10. Penn State (7-1) - the Nittany Lions can knock Ohio State out of the Rose Bowl this week...

11. Georgia Tech (8-1) - the offense put 56 on the board against Vandy...but the defense gave up 31...hmmmm...
12. Pitt (7-1) - the Panthers get their last easy game this week when Syracuse comes to town...then they get the big 3 to finish the season...
13. Southern Cal (6-2) - the Trojans were taken to the woodshed at Oregon...there are chinks in the armor...
14. Notre Dame (6-2) - the Irish cruise against Wazzou...
15. Ohio State (7-2) - the Buckeyes finish at Penn State, home with Wisky, and at Michigan...the Rose Bowl is in their hands...
16. Oklahoma (5-3) - Sooners keep on chugging...

Football Thoughts
- I am reluctant to put Houston in the Top 16 because of their putrid defense...
- Michigan is awful...
- This is the week that things will change with Penn State playing Ohio State and LSU playing Alabama...something will shakedown...
- I think Colt McCoy is starting to take a slight lead for the Heisman...
- Southern Cal's defense looked awful...over the last three games they have given up a ton of points...
- Did I mention that Michigan is awful...

Eye Candy

Damon's hustle brings Yankees to the brink of World Series #27