HOW THE NY GIANTS WIN SUPER BOWL XLII - PART 2.
January 31, 2008
ATTACK THE PATRIOTS IN THE MIDDLE OF THE FIELD.
The Giants proved in Week 17 they could move the ball against New England. Plaxico Burress is one of the game’s best receivers, and his 6-5 size gives him a huge advantage in jump-ball situations. Amani Toomer runs precise routes and has good chemistry with Manning. Steve Smith has become a valuable third receiver, allowing the Giants to go with more spread formations.
The Giants should go to three-wide sets in passing situations and attack one of the Patriots’ few vulnerabilities: covering receivers over the middle. New York should use slants often - quick slants, midrange slants, and deep post patterns. The Eagles took this tack against the Patriots in November, and A.J. Feeley threw for 345 yards and three touchdowns. If he can do it, Manning can.
If the Giants have to throw the ball more than 42 times to win Super Bowl 42, so what? I’m not suggesting they ignore the running game, especially if Brandon Jacobs gets it going. Brady won’t win with a run-first game plan.
Covering receivers in space gets the Patriots out of their defensive comfort zone. Some of their veterans, linebackers Tedy Bruschi and Junior Seau and safety Rodney Harrison, are not as fleet afoot as they used to be. The Giants have a hot quarterback and capable receivers. If they can exploit some mismatches, the potential to pop some big runs after catches is there.
PLAY THE MANNING CARD.
Eli needs to talk with his brother. Peyton Manning won the last Super Bowl. He knows the Patriots’ defense inside and out. He knows what coverages they prefer in various situations, what the Super Bowl media hype will be like, how best to prepare.
Eli has grown by leaps and bounds this season and has the unique advantage of having a brother who plays the same position and has been in this same situation. He must listen to all valuable nuggets Peyton dishes out.
HOW THE NY GIANTS WIN SUPER BOWL XLII - PART 1.
January 31, 2008
GET PHYSICAL WITH RANDY MOSS.
This is the Giants’ top priority. Moss is one of the best deep-ball receivers of all time, but he can be contained if you delay him at the line of scrimmage. The Eagles did (5 catches, 43 yards). The Ravens did it (4 catches, 34 yards). The Jaguars (1 catch, 14 yards) and Chargers have done it (one catch, 18 yards) during the playoffs.
The Giants’ secondary is not one of the league’s best, so this will be a major challenge. Defensive backs R.W. McQuarters, Corey Webster, and Gibril Wilson will have to step up. The Giants had major problems containing the Patriots’ offense in their 38-35 loss in Week 17, so it will be up to defensive coordinator Steve Spagnuolo to come up with a more effective approach.
Double-teaming Moss with safety help and using bump-and-run coverage is probably the best plan. If Wes Welker, Donte’ Stallworth, Jabar Gaffney or Kevin Faulk were to become Brady’s favorite target, the Giants would be able to live with it.
Take away Moss, and you go a long way toward eliminating one of New England’s most demoralizing weapons - the quick touchdown. When you play the Patriots, you are going to give up points; they have scored 31 points 13 times this season (including the playoffs). However, you must take away the quick scores that can shockingly change the game’s momentum. This was one of the Giants’ fatal mistakes, allowing a 65-yard pass to Moss in the fourth quarter that gave the Patriots the lead for good.
If you take away Moss, the Patriots become more methodical and less explosive. The longer it takes for them to get in the end zone, the better your chance to keep the score in the 20s instead of the 30s. The Giants should keep a cornerback and a safety in Moss’ face most of the time, but they also must mix up the coverage by playing Moss man-to-man at times. If you give Brady and Moss the same look too often, they will figure out a way to beat it. Unless the Giants figure out a way to contain Moss, this game could turn into a blowout.
HOOKSCENTER’S NFL NEWS AND NOTES - 1/30/2008
January 30, 2008
Marv Lewis’ job may depend on how well Mike Zimmer does his. Zimmer will be the third defensive coordinator in Lewis’ six-year tenure as Bengals head coach. Lewis was lauded as a top defensive coordinator with both the Ravens and Redskins, but his defenses have been abused in Cincinnati. Over the past three seasons, when Chuck Bresnahan was the coordinator, the Bengals’ defense never ranked better than 27th in yards allowed.
The Bills should not trade J.P. Losman just because he wants out of Buffalo. Losman is angry about losing his starting job to Trent Edwards while out with a sprained knee. However, Edwards did not set the league on fire, and he will only be entering his second season. Unless they get an offer they can’t refuse, the Bills should give Losman one more shot to win the starting job, or keep him as an experienced backup.
California junior WR DeSean Jackson was smart to enter the draft. The Bears (pick No. 14), Vikings (17), Eagles (19), Bucs (20), and Titans (24) are among many teams looking for a top wideout. Unless Jackson gets in trouble, gets injured or goes on a serious eating binge, there is no way he won’t be a first-round pick.
LG Alan Faneca could help the Seahawks solve their running woes. The Steelers are not expected to re-sign Faneca, who is looking for a huge deal, and the Seahawks need him. Though RB Shaun Alexander has lost a step, Seattle’s rushing attack has not been the same since LG Steve Hutchinson signed with the Vikings two years ago. With Faneca and star LT Walter Jones playing side by side, the Seahawks’ running game would improve regardless whether Alexander stays.
Firing offensive coordinator Norm Chow will not help the Titan’s offense. Chow was made the scapegoat; the Titans struggled because QB Vince Young didn’t progress reading defenses and his average receivers struggled to get open. Finding better wideouts is a top offseason priority, but the Titans also face major contract issues on the defensive line with T Albert Haynesworth and Es Antwan Odom and Travis LaBoy set to become free agents. Expect Tennessee to put a franchise tag on Haynesworth if they can’t reach an agreement, even though that could force them to part with Odom or LaBoy because they need cap space to give Young the help he needs.
A LOOK BACK AT THE PAST 10 SUPER BOWLS.
January 29, 2008
“This one’s for John” was the famous line from Broncos owner Pat Bowlen after Super Bowl 32, when Broncos quarterback John Elway won his first of two Super Bowls after coming up short three times before. But a decade later, looking back at what happened that January in San Diego, the words might as well have been, “This one’s for the AFC.”
In a remarkable game that saw a 37-year-old Elway get helicoptered on the way to a key first down and Terrell Davis scoring the decisive points after the 2-minute warning, Denver upset Brett Favre’s defending champion Packers. The Broncos win not only provided the championship that had eluded Elway but it also ended 13 years of NFC dominance in the NFL championship and, best of all, rang in the current era of compelling and competitive Super Bowls. Only three of the past 10 games have been blowouts, and the AFC teams have captured the Lombardi Trophy eight times.
No other 10-year Super Bowl stretch has offered as much excitement. Even the dynastic Patriots haven’t won easily. Each of their three victories was by three points, making for some of the best contests in the game’s 41-year history. There was the win over the heavily favored Rams on a field goal by Adam Vinatieri as time expired in Super Bowl 36, followed two years later by a thrilling triumph over the Panthers, again on a late Vinatieri field goal. A 24-21 win against an Eagles team with Donovan McNabb and Terrell Owens in Super Bowl 39 put an exclamation point on the Patriots’ rise to power.
The best finish in the past 10 years, and perhaps ever, was in Super Bowl 34. The Rams culminated their amazing worst-to-first season when Mike Jones made The Tackle on the last play of the game, holding back the Titans by the longest of yards.
Along the way, there have been many notable feats. We’ve seen the Steelers became the first franchise to win “one for the thumb.” We’ve seen St. Louis’ Kurt Warner rack up the most passing yards (414) and Oakland’s Rich Gannon throw the most interceptions (five). We’ve seen both the longest run (Pittsburgh’s Willie Parker for 75 yards) and the longest pass play (Carolina’s Jake Delhomme to Mushin Muhammad for 85 yards). We’ve seen back-to-back kickoffs returned for touchdowns (the Giants’ Ron Dixon and the Ravens Jermaine Lewis). We’ve seen Tom Brady, then Ben Roethlisberger, become the youngest starting quarterback to win a Super Bowl. We’ve seen Brady develop into perhaps the best postseason quarterback in Super Bowl era.
And who could forget the Colts’ win last year in South Florida. One of the league’s most accomplished players, Peyton Manning, finally won his first ring, and, more important, the Colts’ Tony Dungy and the Bears’ Lovie Smith became the first African American head coaches in the Super Bowl.
Despite the increasing hype and celebrity pizzazz surrounding the event, the game itself is no longer a one-way coronation between comedic commercials. More often than not, it’s a darn good game.
So before you think the perfect and seemingly unbeatable Patriots will make it 19-0 in an old school romp, remember that winning Super Bowls hasn’t been a snap for New England. And considering that the Giants nearly ended the Patriots’ perfect run once, the recent past should make for quite a Super present.
2008 MLB - PITTSBURGH PIRATES PREVIEW.
January 28, 2008
It has been 28 plus year since Sister Sledge’s “We are Family” rang throughout Three Rivers Stadium in Pittsburgh as the Pirates came back from a 3-1 series deficit to beat the Baltimore Orioles 4-1 in Game 7 of the World Series.
The 1979 World Championship was the fifth and last title for this historic franchise that has been floundering in mediocrity the last 15 years.
Pittsburgh currently holds the record for most consecutive losing seasons in the four major sports as the Pirates haven’t been above the .500 since 1992 when they went 96-66 and lost in the NL Championship Series to the Atlanta Braves in seven games.
Pittsburgh finished last season with a 68-94 record which placed them in the cellar in the relatively weak NL Central Division. The Bucs finished 17 games behind the first place, Chicago Cubs.
The defining moment for the Pirates in 2007 came in the month of August. For 30 days, the Pirates were teased by how good things can be when everything clicks. Offensive production up and down the lineup, a stingy bullpen and consistently above-average results from the starting corps led to the Pirates winning more games in the month (17) than in any month since 2004.
Pittsburgh also showed signs of improvement within their pitching staff. On June 1, the Pirates saw a change of the guard in their closing duties. Matt Capps replaced Salomon Torres, and his immediate success as the ninth-inning stopper gives the Pirates a closer that former manager Jim Tracy often refers to as “very special.” And don’t forget that the second-year big leaguer is just 24 years old. The emergence of Tom Gorzelanny as one of the top pitchers in the league has given Pittsburgh reasons to believe that 2008 will be a much better season.
The Pirates have every position player under their control through next season, which takes away much of the guess work in who will dent the 2008 Opening Day lineup. Catcher Ronny Paulino will remain the starter ahead of Ryan Doumit. LaRoche and second baseman Freddy Sanchez will again hold down the right side of the infield, as well as the heart of the order. With the way shortstop Jack Wilson closed out the season, it appears less likely he’ll be dealt away, though the same can’t be said for shortstop Cesar Izturis. Third base will belong to Jose Bautista, but with prospect Neil Walker waiting in the wings, the question remains — for how long? Left fielder Jason Bay and Nady are obvious fixtures, while some combination of Nyjer Morgan, Nate McLouth, Steve Pearce, Doumit and possibly Andrew McCutchen will battle for the final outfield spot.
The starting rotation is pretty much set for the 2008 season. Left-hander Gorzelanny emerged as the team ace last season and will head up a rotation that shows great youthful promise. Both lefty Paul Maholm and righty Ian Snell went through growing pains in 2007, but also showed signs of maturing into potentially dominant starters. Though he missed two months with elbow irritation, southpaw Zach Duke believes his struggles last season were an anomaly and the expectations for a rebound year are high. Rounding out the starting five is veteran right-hander Matt Morris.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette reports the Pirates continue to talk with former reliever Shawn Chacon about returning to the Steel City. The Pirates are in need of a setup man for Capps and believe Chacon, who posted a 3.94 ERA in 64 appearances (four starts), can handle the responsibilties. “Shawn is open to going back there,” his agent, Danny Horwits, said. “And the Pirates are still one of the teams we’re talking to. I expect we’ll keep talking. We certainly haven’t closed any doors.”
While there aren’t any glaring weaknesses going into next season, the Pirates do need to sure up their bullpen. With Chacon likely gone, the Pirates could use another veteran right-handed arm in the setup man role. A new veteran presence in any capacity would be a plus.
This past week, Major League Baseball released final payroll numbers for 2007, with the Pirates finishing with the 27th highest payroll among the 30 big-league teams. Their final payroll was $51.4 million, nearly $20 million more than the lowest-spending team (Tampa Bay), but $167 million less than the free-spending Yankees.
The Pirates’ final 2007 payroll did show an increase of $8 million from what they spent on payroll in 2006.
For Pittsburgh, the mantra has been the same — other clubs in similar markets with slightly larger payrolls have succeeded in recent years by maximizing returns in the First-Year Player Draft and through building a young core of players that come at a lower cost. The prime examples are — the Rockies, the Indians and the Diamondbacks.
Pittsburgh is a year or two away from contending in the NL Central Division. Pittsburgh’s major need is to continue to stockpile their farm system and hope eventually these young players can carry the Pirates back to respectablility.
GM Neal Huntington also added that a commitment from ownership to spend on sound baseball acquisitions is the difference between being a bottom-feeder or a contender.
“If we are winning, then we have the financial flexibility to go out and get the missing pieces,” Huntington said.
2008 Prediction: Pittsburgh will slightly improve on their 2007 record of 68-94. The Pirates will finish in last place in the NL Central but they could be a huge factor in deciding who wins their division. The Pirates have a history of playing Chicago and Milwaukee tough at PNC Park.
2008 Record: 71-91.
2008 SUPER BOWL TELECAST ODDS.
January 27, 2008
Since we still have a week until the Super Bowl, and if I have to hear another over-reaction by ESPN about Tom Brady’s ankle tweek I am going to kill myself, I thought I would start to look forward to the always-entertaining gambling options available for the Super Bowl.
For those of you who do not gamble (a.k.a. smart people) the Super Bowl is great time to start your gambling career. You can bet on everything from the coin flip to what the first play of the Patriots third offensive possession will be, and everything in-between. And all options are equally stupid and fun. Kind of like picking girls from a sorority… all are stupid and fun… zing. However, these are the Top 5 gambling lines that I would make if I was an odds-maker in Vegas.
5. Over/Under 6 ½ - Times you debate killing Joe Buck: Yes, this year’s game is on Fox, and that means that you will get Troy Aikman doing the color and good ol’ Joe Buck doing the play-by-play. Joe Buck reminds me of an uglier Nicolas Cage… which is saying something after Nick’s most recent film (National Treasure 2). Joe Buck has the ego of a Prom King with the reality of a World of Warcraft character-creator. Joe Buck is also on my top 5 list of “if I ever get the chance to meet you face-to-face I promise I will punch you in the face.” Phillip Rivers, don’t worry, you made that list as well.
4. What Song Will Tom Petty Play at Half Time:
Free Falling – 1/1 – If he doesn’t play his most radio friendly song I will be shocked. This is the song that every middle schooler knows is by Tom Petty.
American Girl – 2/1 – This song has America in the title and the Super Bowl = America.
Mary Jane’s Last Dance – 35/1 – After the whole Janet Jackson boob thing on CBS, I highly doubt that Fox is going to be taking a chance on a song with Pot references. However, if it is played, expect roughly 1 million high school kids to high-five because “dude, this song is about weed, and nobody even knows.
Learning to Fly – 12/1 – “Because, dude, this song is totally about our group of friends.
3. Over/Under 30 - Times Fox makes Joe Buck do a plug for an upcoming Fox show, and that little screen on the bottom of your screen that is being used for the plug blocks the play – Fox, it is annoying. That guy has been breaking out of prison for like a decade, we already know when 24 is on, and enough people watch American Idol as it is. And 15-year-old girls aren’t watching the Super Bowl, they are drawing hearts around their crushes in their yearbook, so there is no need for the So, You think you can Dance plug.
2. Over/Under 25% - Amount of the American workforce calling in sick on Monday – Do you really want that fat guy from Accounting coming in hung-over with a nasty case of the runs?
1. Over/Under 100 times the camera flashes to the Manning Family – Every time Eli completes a pass they will show Peyton sitting in a box with the rest of the family. How much must it suck to be the oldest Manning brother? He could be a Senator or find a cure for AIDS and he would still be the family disappointment. On a side note, how impressive is it that Magic Johnson has pretty much defeated HIV? How many virgins did he have to de-flower to do that?
Anyway, before I get angry emails, I am well aware that he has some disease that made him quit football, but I still stand by my opinion that Daddy “Archie” Manning loves him a little less.
AL DAVIS NEEDS TO SELL THE OAKLAND RAIDERS.
January 26, 2008
The Oakland Raiders denied a report Friday that owner Al Davis asked coach Lane Kiffin to resign.
ESPN, citing unidentified sources, reported that Davis drew up a resignation letter for Kiffin two weeks ago, but the coach refused to sign it. Kiffin has two years left on the contract he signed last January.
There is no issue here,” Raiders senior executive John Herrera said. “There was never an issue here. There’s nothing to it.”
Kiffin declined to address the report when asked about it by ESPN at the Senior Bowl in Mobile, Ala.
“I’m not going to comment on anything that has transpired in the past three weeks,” said Kiffin, who is coaching the North team in the college all-star game.
Speculation about Kiffin’s status began three weeks ago after reports surfaced following the season that he wanted to fire defensive coordinator Rob Ryan. The Raiders dismissed those reports and announced that Ryan was staying on as coordinator.
Kiffin told reporters at the Senior Bowl earlier in the week that his relationship with Ryan “is not an issue.”
Kiffin is scheduled to interview former San Diego Chargers receivers coach James Lofton on Monday for a potential job on the Raiders’ staff, Herrera said.
Lofton, who was fired earlier this week by San Diego, interviewed for the head coaching job in Oakland the previous two years. Lofton lost out to Art Shell in 2006 and to Kiffin last year.
Kiffin, 32, was the youngest man to coach a game in the NFL since Harland Svare took over the Los Angeles Rams as a 31-year old in 1962. He overhauled almost the entire coaching staff after he arrived, hiring 14 new assistants.
The team went 4-12 in his first season in Oakland, doubling the team’s win total from the previous year and showing signs of improvement in many areas.
But the defense under Ryan struggled despite returning all 11 starters as well as some key reserves from a unit that allowed the fewest yards passing and third fewest total yards in the league in 2006.
COLTS’ BETHEA REPLACES POLAMALU ON PRO BOWL ROSTER.
January 25, 2008
Pittsburgh Steelers safety Troy Polamalu will not play in the Pro Bowl, joining running back Willie Parker as the team’s second player to miss the NFL’s all-star game.
Polamalu was suffering from a knee sprain when the season ended. A team spokeswoman said Friday that Polamalu will not play in the Feb. 10 game in Honolulu.
Parker, the NFL’s leading rusher for much of the season, will not play because he broke his leg in the next-to-last game of the regular season.
Antoine Bethea of Indianapolis will replace Polamalu at strong safety.
The Steelers still have three players on the AFC roster: linebacker James Harrison, guard Alan Faneca and quarterback Ben Roethlisberger. Harrison and Faneca are starters.
MEMPHIS IS THE CLASS OF COLLEGE HOOPS.
January 24, 2008
For the first time since since Jan. 10, 1983 the Memphis Tigers are on top of the college basketball world. The Tigers propelled to the pinnacle of the polls Monday as they were No.1 in both the AP and the coaches poll.
The last and only time Memphis was the top ranked team in the nation they lost the very same day. The Tigers were upset that night by Virginia Tech, 64-56.
It took Memphis just over a quarter century to get back to the top.
History almost repeated itself as the Tulsa Golden Hurricanes took Memphis to the limit Wednesday night before the Tigers pulled away late for a 56-41 road win.
Chris Douglas-Roberts scored 20 points, and reserve Shawn Taggart scored 12 of his 14 in the second half to help No. 1 Memphis win their 28th consecutive Conference USA game.
The Tigers took control of the game as Douglas-Roberts broke away and sent home a thunderous dunk that echoed throughout the Reynolds Center. Douglas-Roberts’ hoop extended the Tigers lead to 48-38.
Taggart followed with a 3-pointer — only his sixth in 11 attempts this season — and Douglas-Roberts added a layup off a baseline inbounds pass as Memphis reeled off nine consecutive points to go up 54-38 with 4:02 left.
The Tigers (18-0, 5-0 Conference USA) were never threatened again and now they can look forward to one of the few obstacles left on their scehdule - Gonzaga.
Memphis hosts the Zags (15-4, 4-0 West Coast Conference) Saturday morning at the FedEx Forum. The Tigers should be energize for this matchup with the former Cinderalla from the West Coast.
The Tigers will be greeted by 18,400 fans Saturday as Memphis will be playing their first ever home game as the top ranked team in the nation.
Douglas-Roberts led the Tigers Wednesday with 20 points. Taggert and freshman phenom Derrick Rose added 14 points for Memphis as they extended the record for best start ever by a C-USA team.
The 1998-99 Cincinnati squad (15-0) had the best start in the conference’s history before this season.
The Tigers hold the nation’s longest home court winning streak. Memphis has won 42 straight games at the FedEx Forum.
Memphis’ current 42-game homecourt win streak is the longest in the nation, and it is now the longest in Tiger basketball history. The current streak of 42 broke the previous one of 39 straight that spanned from the end of the 1983-84 season through the 1986-87 campaign. The previous long home win streak in the John Calipari era was 24 straight that stretched from the middle of the 2002-03 season through the start of the 2004-05 year.
Memphis beat Gonzaga on the road last February, 78-77.
Memphis fans have to be loving this prediction from Hookscenter: 40-0 record and 2008 NCAA Champions.
MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL - 2008 OFFSEASON NOTES.
January 23, 2008
Billy Beane once said that by the time a GM decides to rebuild, it’s already to late; the decision has to be made a year in advance. Beane realized last year that the A’s would be .500 at best in 2008, so he started rebuilding for 2009. He has assembled a stable of eight to ten young pitchers who could make the A’s contenders for years. The latest are LHP Gio Gonzalez and RHP Fautino De Los Santos, both acquired in the Nick Swisher deal with the White Sox. Gonzalez throws 93-94 with a good curveball. “He’ll be a solid No. 3 starter,” a scout says. De Los Santos, according to one assistant GM,”is as good a pitching prospect as there is in the minor leagues”.
In Swisher, the White Sox got the hitter they really needed. Now if they deal Paul Konerko to the Angels, Swisher could play first base, opening up outfield spots for recently acquired Carlos Quentin and Cuban signee Alexei Ramirez.
Though Mark Prior might not pitch until midseason (shoulder rehab), several teams were interested in the former Cub. He could thrive as a Padre because he’s back home in Southern California, gets to pitch in a big ballpark, and has ex-teammate Greg Maddux for counsel. Plus, this is Prior’s walk year, so he’s motivated.
New Astros closer Jose Valerde led the majors in saves by going primarily with two pitches, his fastball and his split. If he continues to do that, rather than tinkering with a cutter and a bunch of other pitches that didn’t work, Houston has found its replacement for Brad Lidge.
Goose Gossage, who finally made the Hall of Fame in his ninth time on the ballot, should have been elected his first year. Gossage had 125 saves of at least two innings, third all-time behind HOFers Rollie Fingers and Bruce Sutter. Mariano Rivera, one of the greatest closers ever, has 11.