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McNabb Doesn’t Know Overtime Rule

Nov 19

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community | 1 Comment

By Matt Valentine

In what has to be on eof the most ridiculous things to ever come out of a professional quarterbacks mouth, Donovan McNabb stated during a postgame press conference, that he was unaware of the overtime rule in the NFL.

The rule McNabb was referring to is of course the fact that an NFL game can end in a tie if neither team scores during the overtime period. This was the case when the Eagles and Bengals played on Sunday ending in a 13-13 tie.

When asked McNabb said, “I’ve never been a part of a tie. I never even knew that was in the rule book. It’spart of the rules and we have to go with it. I was looking forward to the next opportunity to get out there and try to drive to win the game.”

McNabb in a postgame press conference talks about the overtime rule.

McNabb in a postgame press conference talks about the overtime rule.

I mean this really has to be the silliest thing a professional QB could possibly say. Not only did McNabb not know the rule, but he didn’t help his team much on the field either, turning the ball over 4 times in the contest, the first time he’s done that since 2003.

While the tie does not entirely destroy the Eagles post season hopes it sure doesn’t help. At 5-4-1 the Eagles find themselves in last place in the NFC East and unless they go on a winning streak have little chance at a wild card berth either.

Now to be fair many people have suggested that had McNabb known the rule perhaps he would have played more agrresively in overtime. One, McNabb has been throwing the ball agressively all day long and it resulted in the 3 interceptions. Two, to suggest that he would have some how tried harder to win the game had he known that it would end in a tie is just plain silly. McNabb was out there trying to win no matter what the rule was that’s his job.

The Eagles will move on this season and make no mistake about it, McNabb will be the quarterback, despite Eagles fans calling for his job and possibly his head. What should be noted is that McNabb’s contract is up next season and its likely that the two will part ways. The real question is will head coach Andy Reid remain in Philadelphia if they don’t make the playoffs this season? That remains to be seen, for now the Eagles must refocus their attention on making a postseason run.

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Oakland releases CB Hall

Nov 7

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Well, what is there really to say about the Oakland Raiders at this point? Talk about a franchise in absolute turmoil, this team seems not to even know which way is up at this point.

The Raiders in usual Al Davis fashion went on a free agent spending spree in the off season and inked corner back Deangelo Hall to a $70 million contract. Apparently the Raiders decided that they didn’t like Hall or the deal all that much and have since released him after just 8 games.

The move is perhaps one of the most shocking moves seen at the half way point of an NFL season in quite some time. It seems to have left a number of Oakland’s own players stupefied, “I’ve never been in a situation where you cut one of the best players,” said safety Gibril Wilson, another of the team’s off season acquisitions. “That’s strange to me. It’s almost like we’re throwing in the towel.”

Granted Hall may not have demonstrated that he was worthy of a 7 year $70 million contract, but he was still adjusting to Oakland’s mainly man-to-man defensive scheme and was showing signs of improvement in recent weeks.

Since taking over for the fired Lane Kiffin, Tom Cable and his coaching staff have made a number of questionable personnel moves. Cable took safety Michael Huff out of the starting lining and has actually relegated him to third on the depth chart. Cable has also relegated Ronald Curry the teams leading receiver the past two seasons to special teams duty, but has stated that high priced wide receiver Javon Walker who has just 13 receptions this year is in no danger of losing his job?

Guess what Tom the only person whose going to be in danger of losing his job is you, especially when you make moves like this that completely destroy the players confidence in your ability to do what is right for the team.

Doing what is right for the team isn’t always necessarily what you think is right for the team, you must also consider how the players in your locker room will respond to the decisions you make and from everything that has been coming out of Oakland it does not look like they are responding positively.

So, as usual things just keep deteriorating in the black hole and I’m betting most players and fans are waiting for the day when Al Davis, or Tom Cable for that fact are no longer calling the shots.

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NFL First Half Surprises

Nov 7

Posted by admin in Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, online sports community | No Comments

As with my previous post there have been a fair number of pleasant surprises in the first eight weeks of the NFL season. Teams which many thought would pose little challenge to their opponents have demonstrated that they are a more then legitimate threat and have proven the old adage that on any given Sunday anyone can win. Once again I’d like to note that this list is in no particular order.

1. The Miami Dolphins:

Chad Pennington leading the Dolphins to a surprising first half record.

Chad Pennington leading the Dolphins to a surprising first half record.

The Dolphins may be the biggest surprise of the first half of the NFL season. The team has already tripled their win total from all of last season and has done so in surprising fashion with wins over San Diego, Buffalo, and New England. In fact the way Brett Favre has played of late the Jets might be regretting letting him go, especially to a division rival.  The Dolphins have definitely surprised a few people in the NFL and though they may not make the playoffs this season, Parcells and company seem to have things headed in the right direction.

2. The Atlanta Falcons:

After losing franchise player Mike Vick to a prison sentence the Falcons were a franchise in complete disarray. They seem to have found their answer though in QB Matt Ryan who has exceeded everyone’s expectations in his rookie campaign, and who along with free agent signee Michael Turner has led the Falcons to a surprising 4-3 record. The Falcons face a tough second half schedule, but if Matt Ryan and Roddy White continue to develop their chemistry, and if Michael Turner continues his own success then the Falcons could continue to surprise in the final 8 weeks of the season.

3. The Tennessee Titans:

Titans dynamic rookie Chris Johnson.

Titans dynamic rookie Chris Johnson.

At 7-0 the Titans stand alone as the only undefeated team in the NFL and have done so in convincing fashion. The Titans have a stout defense that has surrendered just 88 points so far this year, by far the fewest in the NFL. They also have the NFL’s fourth ranked rushing attack with dynamic rookie Chris Johnson and goal line beast Lendale White. Yet, perhaps the most surprising thing about the Titans season to date is that they have done all this without the services of Vince Young, who has been supplanted by the steady if unspectacular hand of Kerry Collins at QB position. It unlikely that the Titans will run the table, but they have almost gauranteed themselves a spot in the postseason and could be primed for a deep run if everyone stays healthy.

4. Kyle Orton and the Chicago Bears:

Until Orton sustained a high ankle sprain while playing against the woeful Detroit Lions he had looked nothing like the quarterback that many remembered. To date Orton had the 10th best QB rating in the league at 90.8, he had also thrown for 1777 yards with 10 TD and just 4 INT. Meanwhile, the Bears a team who many thought would struggle mightily on offense, have scored the 5th most points in the NFL and lead the NFC North division at 5-3. If Orton can return from his injury in due time look for the Bears to capture the NFC North crown, and be a legitimate threat in the postseason.

5. Aaron Rodgers

Aaron Rodgers has finally stepped out from Favres shadow.

Aaron Rodgers has finally stepped out from Favre's shadow.

After riding the pine for years behind legendary quarterback Brett Favre, Rodgers finally got his chance to emerge from the “gunslingers” shadow. And emerge he has. Rodgers’ play thus far has given a reprieve to everyone in the Green Bay front office who wanted to start him over Favre, a move which incurred the ire of many a Green Bay fan and was one of the most heavily covered media frenzies since Brett Favre’s last retirement extravaganza. Rodgers ranks 5th in the league with a QB rating of 95.3, he has thrown for 1982 yards with 13 touchdwons against just 5 interception. Though the Packers are just 4-4 they are easily the best 4-4 team in the league right now and could make a nice run to the playoffs in the second half especially if Rodgers continues to play at this high level.

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Brodeur Out 3-4 Months

Nov 7

Posted by admin in Brodeur, Hockey, NHL, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Stanley Cup, Surgery, Uncategorized, devils, ice hockey, injury, new jersey, online sports community | No Comments

Martin Brodeur has been the picture of stability for the Devils franchise since joining the team in the 91-92 season.

In fact, since 1998 Brodeur has played in at least 70 games during the regular season, hardly ever suffering any serious injuries. Well, it seems that, that streak will be coming to an abrupt end with the elbow injury Brodeur sustained in a game against Atlanta.

Brodeur suffered the injury while making a glove save on a wrist shot that was actually headed wide of the net. While making the save Brodeur said he felt a pop as he extended his arm. The pop was actually his bicep ligament tearing away from the muscle near his elbow.

Brodeur cringes in pain.

Brodeur cringes in pain.

And now for the first time in his career and for the first time since Brodeur became the Devils franchise goaltender he will miss significant playing time during the regular season.

The 4 time Vezina trophy winner has been the one contant throughout the years for the New Jersey Devils. The Devils have always been built as a defense first team. However, in the last few years they have lost some marquee players at the position including Scott Stevens and Ken Daneyko to retirement and Scott Niedermeyer to free agency. Those key loses were offset by the remarkable play of Brodeur whose skill at the position is perhaps unmatched in history.

In fact, Brodeur was well within reach of surpassing a number of NHL goaltending records this season including Patrick Roy’s career win total of 551 and Terry Sawchuck’s 103 career shutouts. Brodeur is just 7 wins shy of surpassing Roy and 5 shutouts shy of passing Sawchuck.

With Brodeur sidelined to late February, early March it is likely that those records may have to wait until next season to fall.

The more pressing issue for the Devils however, will not be making NHL history, but simply making the NHL playoffs. Without Brodeurs’ prowess between the pipes the Devils face a long, hard fight and now must ask backup Kevin Weekes to fill some pretty large skates.

The Devils currently hold second place (16pts) in the Atlantic Division trailing the red hot New York Rangers by 7 points.  If the Devils have any hope of catching their cross river rivals they must rely on something they haven’t had to rely on in 13 years…offense.

With young players like Zach Parise (9 goals/5 assists ) and veterans like Patrick Elias and Jamie Langenbrunner the Devils could do it. They can also look to the return of the injured Brian Rolston and Bobby Holik to provide an extra offensive boost when they return to the lineup.

Either way, the Devils find themselves in very unfamiliar territory this season. A season the will play mostly without the aide of Martin Brodeur. Where they end up is anyone’s guess at this point.

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NFL First Half Disappointments

Oct 29

Posted by admin in AFC, Bengals, Chargers, Football, Manning, NFC, NFC East, NFL, NFL First half, Pro Sports, QB Rating, Shocking, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Super Bowl, borwns, colts, cowboys, disapointing, interceptions, online sports community, passing, peyton manning, touchdowns, upset | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

The NFL season has reached the halfway mark and there have been some major surprises and some huge disappointments heading into week 9. With 8 weeks left to play in the season let’s take a look back at the first half of the NFL season and examine some of the most shocking and disappointing aspects of the season so far.Keep in mind this list is no particular order, just how they came to me at the time I was writing…

1. The Indianapolis Colts:

Manning looking dejected on the sidelines.

Manning looking dejected on the sidelines.

The Colts record stands at 3-4 heading into November. This marks the first time under head coach Tony Dungy that the Colts will enter the second half of the season with a losing record. The most surprising and disappoitning fact about this has been the play of Peyton Manning. Manning’s QB rating of 79.0 places him 22nd in the league. Just for a little perspective on that the man right behind Manning is Dan Orlovsky of the Detroit Lions. Manning has thrown 10 TD’s this season, but has complemented that with 9 INT. If Manning doesn’t find his rhythm soon the Colts may be looking at their first losing season since Mannings rookie year. WIth a key loss to the Titans on Monday night the Colts can kiss any hopes of winning their division goodbye and will now have to rely on the Wild Card if they want a shot at the postseason.

2.  The San Diego Chargers:

LT looking upset...perhaps with himself?

LT looking upset...perhaps with himself?

The Chargers were a hot Super Bowl pick this season after narrowly missing out last season with a loss to the Patriots in the AFC Championship Game. Yet, they have played some disappointing football in the first half of the season and hold a 3-4 record with 8 games left to play. Phillip Rivers has played outstanding this season and he’s had to because All-World running back Ladanian Tomlinson has looked like a shadow of his former self while suffering from a toe injury. The Chargers defense has also looked incredibly vulnerable especially in the secondary and are showing all the affects of losing Shawne Meeriman for the season. The Chargers must find their game and find it fast or they like the Colts could be looking at their first losing season in a long time

3. The Dallas Cowboys:

Romo buries his head in a towel as the Cowboys season takes an unexpected turn.

Romo buries his head in a towel as the Cowboys season takes an unexpected turn.

Another hot Super Bowl pick before the season began, the Cowboys have looked anything but since the season started. Granted injuries have decimated the team at key positions, especially in the secondary, and with Tony Romo out with a broken pinkie until after the teams bye week the Cowboys find themselves in dire straits heading into their week 8 match up with the New York Giants. If the Cowboys fail to beat the Giants they will find themselves well out of the division race in the tough NFC East. The team that was all but crowned the NFC Champs in the off-season will now have to fight just for their playoff lives in the second half of the year.

4. The Cleveland Browns:

Derek Anderson...I think the picture says it all.

Derek Anderson...I think the picture says it all.

After a year in which the Browns went 10-6 and still missed out on the playoffs many NFL prognosticators had the Browns picked to equal that mark and make the franchises first playoff appearance since re-entering the NFL in 1999. The Browns began the season with three straight loses and their offense led by Derek Anderson has looked anemic at times. Anderson himself has struggled mightily in the first half of the season and has yet to return to the Pro-Bowl form he had last year. A surprising win against the Giants seems to have sparked some life into the struggling team and they have won three of their last 4 games. Anderson will need to return to form and find his timing with wideout Braylon Edwards or he may lose his starting job to Brady Quinn the Browns first round draft pick two years ago. If Anderson and Edawrds can return to form the Browns could find themselves in the hunt for a playoff spot, if not they’ll keep the franchise streak alive.

5. The Cincinnati Bengals:

Ocho Cinco wanted out...now we all know why.

Ocho Cinco wanted out...now we all know why.

Easily the most disappointing team of the first half of the NFL season the Cinncinatti Bengals have looked like abject failures in every aspect of the game. Now I understand why Ocho Cinco so desperately wanted out of Cincy, he wanted to be the first rat to desert a sinking ship. It’s hard to imagine that just a few short years ago this team was a legitimate Super Bowl contender. Now they’re duking it out tooth and nail with the Detroit Lions for the worst team in the league. Palmer has been injured for most of the season and Ryan Fitzpatrick is a less then suitable backup, but still this team cannot seem to do anything right. They can’t play defense, can barely move the ball and basically have regressed in every phase of the game. The Bengals will challenge for one thing this season and that is the infamous 0-16 record set by the Tampa Bay Buccaneers of yesteryear . Good Luck Cincy.

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Were the Phillies Robbed of a World Series Championship?

Oct 29

Posted by admin in Baseball, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Game 5, MLB, Pitching, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Uncategorized, World Series, delayed, innings, online sports community, outs, rain, resume play, suspended | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

With rain pouring down on Citizen Bank Park the Phillies clung to a 2-1 lead. If the game had been played during the regular season the game would have been called and the Phillies would have been declared the winner. Yet, despite the terrible conditions the game went on and Carlos Pena’s single tied it up for the Rays.

So the question on most people’s minds is when exactly did MLB decide to change its own rules?

Rain delays Game 5 of World Series

Rain delays Game 5 of World Series

Under Major League rule 4.12(6), the game is suspended with the Phillies due to bat in the bottom of the sixth inning. Selig said that he would not have permitted the game — which could clinch a championship for the Phillies — to be called without nine full innings being played. Both clubs were aware of that fact before the first pitch was thrown.

“I have to use my judgment. It’s not a way to end a World Series,” Selig said.

So, the question really is did Selig make the right call?

In my opinion ABSOLUTELY! I mean anyone who would dare to argue otherwise has to be the most diehard Philly fan of all time. Because if I was a Philly fan (and I’m not) I would no want to win in a game shortened because of inclement weather.

The fact is that had the game been called and Philly declared the winner, it would be marked in the annals of baseball history with a large asterisks. It wouldn’t exactly have been a win as much as it would have been a lucky break from Mother Nature.

With that said, I can still understand why many Philly fans would be upset. The fact is that the Phillies were relying on their ace Cole Hamels to close out the series and now that chance has gone by the wayside. Hamels was looking to become the first pitcher in major league history to win 5 straight postseason starts and has been remarkable thus far this postseason.

Now the Phillies will have to rely on someone else to shut down the Rays for the final 4 innings of Game 5 of the World Series.

Phillies players look on as rain soaks the infield.

Phillies players look on as rain soaks the infield.

Hell, the Phillies must feel like they’ve been cursed by the baseball gods. They’ve come so close to claiming their first championship since 1980 only to watch the Rays be injected with new life by raindrops from the heavens.

Now the Phillies will take the field tonight and will fight not just the Tampa Bay Rays, but whatever cosmic forces seem to be consipiring against them.

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Easy E or Big Ben: The Debate of the Class of 2004

Oct 25

Posted by admin in 2004 Nfl Draft, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, NFL, New York, Pro Sports, QB controversy, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Steelers, Uncategorized, draft, giants, online sports community, pittsburgh, quarterback | 1 Comment

By Matt Valentine

The 2004 NFL deaft will certainly go down as one of the best drafts for Quarterbacks, perhaps in the history of the game.

That draft gave us 3 outstanding QB’s in Eli Manning the Number 1 overall pick, Ben Roethlisberger, and Phillip Rivers. Roethlisberger felt overlooked by the Giants when they chose Rivers with the fourth overall pick and packaged him in a trade to San Diego.

Big Ben vs. Easy E

Big Ben vs. Easy E

This Sunday’s marquee match-up between the 5-1 Steelers and the 5-1 Giants takes us back to a question many have been asking since that 2004 NFL draft: Which QB was the better pick?

It’s really a tough call, even for a Giants fan like myself, both QB’s have excelled at the game since entering the league though it is undeniable that it took Eli Manning more time to mature.

If based on pure stats Big Ben would seem to have the edge on Easy E. In his career thus far Roethlisberger has a better completion percentage (63.2), more yards (12,836), more TD (93), and less interceptions (57) then Eli.

In Eli’s career thus far he has a completion percentage of 55.4 has thrown for 12,774 yards, and has tossed 85 TD’s with 68 INT.Eli also led his team to a Super Bowl win last season against the undefeated Patriots.

In Roethlisberger’s first season he was dominant, going 13-0 and leading his team to a 15-1 record. In his next season he won the Super Bowl.

Manning’s first season was nowhere near as dominant. The Giants went 6-10 that year, with Manning compiling a 1-6 record.

In fact, Roethlisberger holds the edge in every statistical category including wins. Big Ben’s career record stands at 44-17 while Mannings’ stands at 35-26

So, if the game was measured in statistics alone clearly Roethlisberger would have the edge, but there are other factors to take into consideration.

For example, Manning was instrumental in leading the Giants on their playoff run and eventual Super Bowl win. Roethlisberger on the other hand, struggled mightily in his Super Bowl appearance and many would argue that his team won in spite of him not because of him.

Manning played superb in the Super Bowl and throughout his playoff run, leading his team on one of the most classic drives in history culminating with a 17 yard TD strike to Plaxico Burress to seal a 17-14 win over the then undefeated New England Patriots.

Also, Roethlisberger went to a team that was ready to win, and could suffer the occasional rookie mistake. Manning went to a team that was on a down swing and in just four years took them to a Super Bowl.

The debate will continue long after Sunday’s game and can only truly be measured when one of the two ends their football career. However, this Sunday at Heinz Field we get a measure of an answer with the winner taking the crown…at least for the time being.

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Saints McAllister and Smith Caught Doping

Oct 24

Posted by admin in Football, League Policy, NFL, New Orleans, Pro Sports, Saints, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Steroids, Substance abuse, Uncategorized, diuretic, doping, online sports community, violation | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Normally when we talk about doping these days we’re usually talking about a baseball player, a cyclist, or even a horse. Somehow the players of the NFL always manage to fly under the radar when it comes to the controversial issue of steroids.

I guess every dog has its day. It has recently been reported that the Saints Deuce McAllister and Will Smith are among several players that have violated the NFL’s steroids policy. A FOX affiliate in Denver citing an unnamed source stated that there have been  between six and 10 positive tests in the NFL for a weight-loss diuretic. However, the station only mentioned the names of the two Saints players who are in London this week for a game against the San Diego Chargers.

Saints RB Deuce McAllister has been accused in a doping scandal.

Saints RB Deuce McAllister has been accused in a doping scandal.

ESPN citing two unnamed sources has stated that the number is higher somewhere in the range of 10-15 players.

While the NFL and the players teams have yet to comment on the report, an attorney David Cornwell told The Associated Press he has been hired to handle the appeals of a number of players who are facing possible suspensions.

Cornwell has declined to name any of his clients or how many clients he is representing. He did release a statement saying, “The recent reports about pending appeals by players who are alleged to have used weight loss supplements reflect the most egregious violation of the NFL steroid policy. The foundation of the policy is both a player’s right to appeal and an absolute right to confidentiality. By leaking this story, the ‘source’ is clearly attempting to put their thumb on the scale of justice and harm these men.”

Saints DE Will Smith was the other player named int he doping scandal.

Saints DE Will Smith was the other player named int he doping scandal.

A diuretic is used as a masking agent to dilute the urine in an attempt to excrete lesser amounts of any banned substances.

While major sports like baseball and lesser sports like cycling have been hit hard by steroid scandals the NFL has been able to cruise mainly under the radar. The sheer enormity of the games popularity has basically given the NFL and its players a free pass on what has become a hot button issue in sports.

Though news like this is never good for a player as they can face at minimum a 4 game suspension it should have little affect on the day-to-day buisness of the NFL.

We’ll have to wait and see just how many players are really involved in the doping scandal, and how the league will react once all the evidence is taken under consideration.

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What is Really Up With Tom Brady?

Oct 23

Posted by admin in American Football, Boston, Fantasy, Fantasy Sports, Football, Knee surgery, NFL, Patroits, Pro Sports, Sports, Sports Events, Surgery, Uncategorized, infection, injury, online sports community, out, rehab, season, setback, tom brady | No Comments

By Matt Valentine

Most of us already know that Tom Brady suffered a season ending knee injury that required surgery to reapir. During the Patriots first game Kansas City safety Bernard Pollard hit Brady during the first quarter of the Patriots’ 17-10 win at Gillette Stadium sidelining him for the rest of the season.

Tom Brady clutches his injured knee in the teams first game against Kansas City.

Tom Brady clutches his injured knee in the teams first game against Kansas City.

We all know that Bill Belichick has never been to forth coming about about his players injuries, actually I think Brady is still listed as questionable on the Pats injury report. But, most have discovered that Brady sustained tears in both his ACL and MCL a serious knee injury that would sideline any athlete for an extended period of time even if everything went 100% right. However, for Tom Brady things seem to be going far from 100% right, and Brady seemingly has suffered a string of setbacks after his inital surgery.

Brady himself reported on his own website that he had an arthroscopic procedure done to “clean and to test the wound” last Wednesday, but recently the Boston Herald reported that Brady has undergone two additional surgeries since that “clean up” surgery.

Now, I am no doctor but common sense tells me that something is not going right with Tom Brady’s knee right now as evidenced by the two additional surgeries Brady required. Either the doctor is being overly cautious in treating this infection or Brady is at risk of having a second reconstructive surgery on his knee.

According to the source that spoke with the Boston Herald, the fear is the patellar tendon graft used to replace Brady’s anterior cruciate ligament is in danger of becoming compromised and may have to be removed. Extremely bad news for Patriots hoping to see Brady return to the field as quickly as possible.

If the infection does not subside and Brady is forced to undergo a second reconstructive surgery he may find himself not ready to start the beginning of next season and the Pats could be without their star QB much longer then they expected.

For his part Brady has wrote on TomBrady.com that “the infection is very treatable and, through a course of antibiotics, it will be knocked out of my system.” Brady referred to the second procedure as being “proactive” by doctors and said results have been positive.

We’ll know more as the situation develops, but if I am a New England fan I would be on my knees praying that nothing more goes wrong with Brady  otherwise they could be watching Matt Casell take more snaps then any of them originally suspected.

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Improbable World Series is What Makes Sports Great

Oct 22

Posted by admin in 2008, 2008 Tampa Bay Rays, 2008 World series, Boston, Philadelphia, Pro Sports, Rays, Red Sox, Sports, Sports Events, Sports Stars, Tampa Bay, Uncategorized, World Series, american league, baseball. MLB, champs, impossible, improbable, national league, online sports community, series, unlikely, world champions, world champs | 1 Comment

By Matt Valentine

With the first pitch of the World Series due to be tossed in less then 24 hours I have to take stock of how improbable this match up between the Phillies and Tampa Bay Rays really is.

Baseballs ultimate prize.

Baseballs ultimate prize.

Well, really the only improbable part of the equation is the Rays, unfortunately for me (sorry Philly I’m not a big fan…deal with it…I’m kidding…sort of) the Phillie’s have been an up and coming team for quite some time now. They have captured the NL East title two years running, and have been priming themselves for their first World Series appearance since 1993 and possibly their first World Series title since 1980. Despite my hatred for most things Philadelphia, except for cheese steaks, and It’s Always Sunny, I actually feel for Philly fans. They have not seen any of their major professional sports teams win a championship since 1983, to put that into perspective not only could I not write, I couldn’t do anything, cus’ I wasn’t even born yet. Still, their misery is my joy. Hell, I’ve seen every single team I love win a championship, most of them multiple times. People my age who love Philly teams have yet to see one…ouch.

So, actually it is fairly improbable that a Philly team has made it this far, but not nearly as much of an improbability as it is for the team they’ll be playing. If you want some perspective on just how improbable it is for the Rays to be in the World Series check this out.

The Rays came to life in 1998. In the decade since their birth they have finished out of last place just twice. Once in 2004, and once again this year. The Rays have NEVER had a winning season until now. They’ve never even had a .500 season until this year. The team was pretty much a joke. A triple A team playing way out of their own league. Constantly signing veterans well past their prime in a desperate effort to make themselves appear legit. And legitimacy was hard to come by for this franchise. They brought in legitimate managers like Sweet Lou Pinella, but could never put a legitimate team on the field.

Then something changed , someone in the Rays organization finally had the bright idea  to build from within, to start with youth and let them mature. And after a decade of futility came a major surprise…a winning season! Not just a winning season, but an AL East title season. And now a shot at one of the most improbable World Series titles in recent memory.

Oh, and we can’t forget that in the franchises’ first ever postseason appearance they handily defeated the Chicago White Sox in 4 games, and even more impressively  were able to hold off the defending World Champion Red Sox in seven, a team which has made a living doing some improbable things of its own.

So yes, we’re all about to see a World Series most of us probably thought would never happen. The Tampa Bay Rays will play the Philadelphia Phillies for a chance to say, for one year at least, that they were the best. So, instead of mourning your teams lost season, sit back, rejoice, and marvel at the fact that in the wold of sports, absolutely nothing is impossible. Just pretty damn improbable.

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