A Green Bay Adventure

So here's the deal. Last night, I'm sitting around my house trying to think of something to do this weekend because we don't have school Monday. My first thought was to go someplace cold and ski, because its something that I haven't done in awhile and I enjoy it. But around 11:00, my friend and co-host Justin Neff came up with a better idea. So here I am, blogging live from Green Bay Wisconsin.

We drove up this morning, leaving around 9:30. In the car was Justin, myself, our other co-host Mark Perlman-Price and friend of the show and fill in co-host Jake Smurell. After 8 hours on the road which included stops for lunch at the KFC Buffet and at an "adult" store for a bathroom break, we finally arrived in Appleton where our hotel was around 7 pm. The temperature at the time, -8 Fahrenheit with -30 degree windchill. Now at first, I didn't think the cold was going to make THAT much of a difference. After all, I had been places with negative windchill before, and as long as I bundled up heavily, it wasn't too bad. But Green Bay is different. The MINUTE you step out of the car, you're already on the brink of freezing to death, at least that what it feels like initially. What kills you really is the wind. How people live in this type of town is beyond me. You couldn't pay me enough to last through one Green Bay winter.

But the great thing about Green Bay is it's the type of town where EVERYTHING revolves around the Packers. Which is understandable considering the rich history of the team.  After unpacking, we drove to Lambeau Field which is one of those places that every sports fan, if they really are a true sports fan, should see before they die.  To think this is the place where great players like Favre, Reggie White, Bart Starr, and the legendary coach Vince Lombardi all stood on Sundays and competed with the best of them.  Walking into a local bar across the street from the stadium, all you heard were Packer chants and cheers from the customers while the Giants-Packers matchup from Week 2 played on the big screens behind us.  I have to admit, we felt a little out of place be as it we were wearing nothing Green or Yellow.  

We then went back to Lambeau inside the atrium that was just added.  Inside, there are a bunch of restaurants, the Pro Shop, and various other places.  They even have like a little arcade for the kids where you can practice running through practice dummies and passing at targets just like Favre does in a real game.  It had been a long day for us, so at that point, we decided to come back to the room and relax.  A 7 hour drive had made everybody tired so everyone's asleep at this point except me.  Hopefully we'll make this a trip to remember.  Until next time internet world, this is the ONE and ONLY Mike Oshita signing out.

Picture courtesy of: http://www.nei-gb.com/Lambeau%20outside%20winter%20smal.jpg

Wow What An Idiot I am

So for the second time in a week, I screwed up. This time, I deleted the post I had made yesterday that was supposed to be dated yesterday and write my new entry. Instead, I deleted yesterdays post making this the second time in a week, where I'm missing a day. So once again, I have broken my promise to all of you out there in Internet world and for that I apologize. So this post that I'm posting now is actually from yesterday, but dated today. Enjoy

To be honest, I'm not surprised Jason Garrett remained in Dallas. First off, it had to help knowing that owner Jerry Jones would've paid almost any amount of money to keep him in town. And signing a contract that pays you 3 million annually, the same amount that current coach Wade Phillips is getting paid, was just another positive incentive in the scheme of things. Was he ready to be a head coach? I don't think so; otherwise he would have taken the job. In his heart, I think Garrett wants to succeed Wade Phillips; after all, he was backup to Troy Aikman from 1993-2000. So if that means waiting a few years, so be it. It's almost as if you know right now that when Phillips does retire/get fired, that Garrett will immediately become the new head coach. The players seem to like him, he runs the offense well, and a few more years of being the coordinator can only sharpen his coaching skills. If, in the end, you get to achieve your dream job that you've wanted to do all along, isn't it worth waiting a few years for? You tell me...

But then you have to look at it from the other angle. Sure, staying in Dallas is the "sure" thing where you know you will always be wanted. But at the same time, at some point you have to try and establish your own way of doing things, instead of than copying off someone else's. At 41, taking the Ravens job is not a terrible thing. It's not like you would be walking into the Atlanta job where you are missing some key components; in Baltimore, you have Willis McGhee, Todd Heap, an up and coming quarterback in Troy Smith, and quite possibly one of the best defenses in all of football, when they are healthy. This is a playoff team (in 2006 they went 13-3). Being an NFL coach is lucky because in most professions, they look to prior experience when deciding whom to lead the company. In the NFL, just because you don't have heading coaching experience doesn't automatically rule you out. But for Garrett, what's the harm in trying it out? I mean let's say you fail in Baltimore hypothetically, if and when you DO get the Cowboys job, you have prior experience and now can learn from your mistakes so you become a better coach.

In the end, I think Garrett made the wrong decision. But it's understandable to know why he did what he did. In the end, job stability had to come into play. As long as the Cowboys keep near the top in all-offensive categories and keep winning games, nobody's going to come calling for his head. So best wishes J.G. I only hope in the end, you don't look back and regret this decision for the rest of your life.

Picture courtesy of: http://www.towntopics.com/jul0704/sports1.jpg

Bob Knight's 900th

I'd like to start tonight's post with a few things to tidy up. First of all, for those of you who are fans of "The Front Row," you know who you are, we are moving to a new time slot this semester. As of right now, plan on catching us on 99.1 WIUX Monday mornings from 9-10 AM. So for all of you who claim our show is too early, well now you don't really have an excuse. We've added a few new things to the show this time around the newest being our new game, "Who Knows More?" The idea is basically borrowed from the Stump the Schwab game, Alma Maters. We'd like to thank Pat Sullivan for coming on the air and being a contestant with us, unfortunately for him, he fell to the champion, me. If you have Facebook, join the group "The Front Row." There you'll find up to date information regarding and new news or information that might be pertinent.

My congrats go out tonight to Robert Montgomery Knight on his 900th career victory. As an current Indiana University student, it's good to know that Bob Knight is still accomplishing great things, even though he may not be roaming the sidelines at Assembly Hall anytime soon. For a man coaching his 42nd season, maybe an achievement like this doesn't even phase him, but for obsessed sports fanatics like me, I see this as a huge coaching milestone. As high as the competition is in men's college basketball these days, to reach 900 wins is something we may never for quite awhile.

Picture courtesy of: http://archimedes.galilei.com/stlcofcc/blogimages/bob-knight.jpg

Igor Olshansky...Are You Kidding Me?

You know, there are just some people in sports who should never open their mouth.  Case in point, meet Igor Olshansky, a defensive end from Oregon.  In his 4-year career Olshansky has never made more than 49 tackles in a season and his highest sack total is 3.5.  Yet, following the Chargers win over the Colts this past Sunday, Olshansky started trash talking like an all-pro.  In a locker room interview when asked about the Patriots, Olshansky stated that "they (the Patriots) are more worried than we are" and that "they know what's up."

Igor...are you serious?  First of all, this is a team in the Patriots that kicked your butt in week 2 38-14.  Tom Brady was 25 of 31 for 279 yards and 3 TD, two of them to Randy Moss.  While your boy Philip Rivers was 19 of 30 for 179 yards, 2 TDs and 2 INTs.  Your biggest weapon LT?  18 carries, 43 yards.  The game was over after the first New England drive. Let me tell you something, the only way your Chargers have ANY shot in beating New England is if the Patriots oversleep and can't get to their own stadium by kickoff time.  There's a difference between being confident and being cocky and for a 4-year defensive end who doesn't have much to back up what he's saying, that was pretty cocky.  If you notice, none of your teammates backed you up on it.  Now they'll support someone like Rivers or LT, but that's because they're stars and they make plays that help the team win games.  You?  All you do is bang your big fat noggin against a 300 pound lineman time after time until you start to feel like Frank Bruno after going a few rounds with Tyson.  The Patriots don't talk trash, they let their play on the field do the talking.  And up to this point, I'd say they've been doing an excellent job so far wouldn't you?   

That's all I got, but seriously Igor, after New England blows you out once again, maybe you'll learn from others who thought their teams could beat the Patriots (see Anthony Smith and Rashean Mathis).  

Picture courtesy of: http://www.igorshs.com/images/igor_pic.jpg

A Big No-No by Me

Unfortunately, as hard as I have tried up to this point, I forgot to post on Sunday.  I got to my computer too late after a long night of miscellaneous activities, and tried posting before the deadline, even a quick blurb mind you.  But alas, the date now reads Monday so this will be a Monday post but will cover events on Sunday and Monday.  First, a little bit on the NFL playoffs from Sunday.

-As a Bengals fan, I respect Tony Dungy, Peyton Manning and the Indianapolis Colts as a franchise so much, that it was hard seeing them go down to San Diego at home on Sunday.  In a game that many considered (myself included) would be a Colts blowout, was actually a back and forth battle that went down to the final few minutes.  The Chargers, even without quarterback Phillip Rivers and running back LaDainian Tomlinson, won their 8th straight game 28-24.  Led by subs Billy Volek (who is the best backup quarterback in the NFL who could start on other teams) and running back Michael Turner (the best backup running back in the NFL), the Chargers went 78 yards on 8 plays that ended with a 1 yard Volek sneak to take the lead with 4:50 remaining.  

-The Colts had their opportunities getting all the way to the Chargers 7 before going for it on 4th and Goal and not converting.  Thanks to some timely clock management and use of timeouts there was one final shot late in the game but a 4th down pass to Dallas Clark fell just short.  

-The team now waits to see what Tony Dungy will do.  If you read my January 10th column found here, I predicted Tony Dungy would retire after this season regardless of how it ended. He himself mentioned in different interviews that he didn't think he would be coaching past 50, now that the season is over and he has time to discuss it with his wife and family, only he knows what the future lies.

-Can the Chargers go into Foxboro and makeup for that 38-14 whopping the Patriots put on them in week 2?  Well I guess anything can happen, just not in this case.  Everybody was waiting for the "True Super Bowl" between the Colts and Patriots.  Now that that's not going to happen, all indications are the Pats will take care of business like they always do and return to the Super Bowl for the 4th time since 2001.  My early prediction?  I like New England 42-17.

-In the other game, the Cowboys proved that you can't beat a team three times in one season as their quest for the Super Bowl ended with a 21-17 loss to the New York Giants.  This was another one of those games where many people didn't give the Giants that much credit/hope against the heavily favored Cowboys.  But Eli Manning, as much as he has been criticized up to this point, came through when it mattered.  The "Manning who doesn't do too many commercials" completed 12 of 18 passes for 163 yards and 2 TDs.  The most important stat there?  He didn't turn the ball over, one of the big criticisms about Eli and his play.  The win was the 9th straight road win for the Giants and leaves them one game away from the Super Bowl, the deepest run this team has made since 2000 when they made it to the big game, only to lose to Trent Dilfer and the Baltimore Ravens.  

-Tony Romo is now 0-2 in playoff games and remains winless just like his coach Wade Phillips who is now 0-4.    You know a lot of people are going to blame his weekend in Cabo with Jessica Simpson as the reason the team lost but you know what?  I just don't see it.  Rather blame the team as a whole.  On the offensive side, there were way too many penalties.    Same as on the defensive side but also, there was poor tackling and misuse of clock management.  However, when a team wins and loses, everyone looks to put the blame on someone.  And in Romo's case because of his high profile dating lifestyle, it looks like this one is all on him.  

-Early thoughts on Giants-Packers?  It's really going to depend on the weather in Green Bay for me.  That's the "x" factor.  If it is anything like it was for the Seahawks game, I think the Giants are in for some trouble.  If Ryan Grant continues to run the ball well I give the advantage to the Packers at home to play in their first Super Bowl since 1997.  Prediction?  Packers 31-24.

Packers and Patriots Continue to Roll...

Wow, what a day of NFL Football. First, the Packers thanks to two Ryan Grant fumbles find themselves down 14 points to Seattle just five minutes into the 1st quarter. And what does Packers coach Mike McCarthy do? He leaves Grant in the game. Good thing he did because the former NYG rushed 27 times for a team postseason record 201 yards and 3 TDs. The ageless wonder Mr. Brett Favre threw 3 TDs as the Packers posted their biggest point total in postseason history beating the Seahawks 42-20, outscoring them 42-6 after the early 14-0 Seattle lead. The Packers now wait until the results of tomorrow's NYG-Dallas game to see where they will be playing next week. If the Giants win, they come to Lambeau. If the Cowboys win, the Pack travels to Dallas where Favre is 0-9 all time in his career. The best thing about this Packer team is it looks like Brett is finally having fun again. Looking more like a 25-year old than the 38-year old veteran that he is, Favre's most memorable play was an off-balance underhand toss to Donald Lee right before halftime. By the end of the game Favre and longtime wideout Donald Driver were having so much fun on the sidelines that they were throwing snowballs at each other. As a sports fan in general, you have to love seeing that.

The second game featured the more hyped matchup between New England and Jacksonville. I myself though that if there was one team other than the Colts that had a shot at beating the Patriots, it was the Jaguars. With a two-headed monster at running back with Maurice Jones-Drew and Fred Taylor and a mistake-free quarterback in David Garrard, things were looking good early on as the Jags drove 9 plays for 80 yards resulting in a touchdown pass from Garrard to Matt Jones. But back came the Patriots led by regular season MVP and offensive player of the year Tom Brady. In one of the most spectacular passing performances that I have ever seen, Brady completed an amazing 26 of 28 passes for 262 yards and 3 TDs. The Patriots went on to win the game 31-20 and advance to the AFC Championship for the fifth time since 2001. Even with all-pro wideout Randy Moss being covered most of the night (he only had one catch for 14 yards), Brady found other weapons completing passes to 8 different receivers. The defense was able to hold the potent Jaguar rushing offense to only 80 total yards and got them to turn the ball over twice, one on a Garrard interception. I'm going to say it now that if San Diego somehow beats Indianapolis tomorrow which I don't think will happen, I'm predicting the Patriots to run away with their final 2 games and finish the season 19-0 and the title as "the greatest team in NFL history" bar none. Sure you can point at "Spygate" and put an asterisk next to their records just like we do with Barry Bonds, but the fact of the matter is this team continues to win week after week and if they go all the way, will have the type of season that we've never seen before. One that will set all sorts of records. And I for one, can't wait to see it.

Picture courtesy of: http://scores.espn.go.com/nfl/photos?photoId=1778713&gameId=280112009

Marion Jones

If you're an avid reader of this blog, which I know none of you are (it's ok, I know that most of the time when I post something on here nobody will EVER read it) I mentioned in my January 3rd post found here, that one of my worst moments of 2007 was when Marion Jones admitted lying to everyone about taking performance enhancing drugs. The thing that makes me so mad about this is that she lied right to everyone's face deliberately thinking she could get away with it. And today it seems, that Justice has finally been served. Despite her pleas to the judge for a leaner sentence, the former track gold medalist was sentenced Friday to six months in prison for lying to federal investigators and also her involvement in a check-fraud scheme.

First of all, Marion, I'm sorry you have to go to jail. But maybe if you didn't put yourself in these kinds of predicaments, then we wouldn't be in this mess. All you had to do was tell the truth from the beginning about BALCO and maybe, the judge would have taken that into consideration when it came time to sentencing. But because you didn't, it's going to take years of sorting through all sorts of evidence and testimony to form a case. I know you did it because you didn't want to lose everything that you had worked so hard to earn but you also have to think, at one point, you were the most celebrated female athlete in the world. To millions of kids, you were their idol. Setting the kind of example you did not only lowers your credibility, it makes you look sneaky and manipulative, regardless if that was the message you were trying to send or not. I know you have two sons, one of whom is still nursing. But if we let you get away with what you've done, then others who do the same thing from now on will point to this case as a precedent.

And then on top of everything, to lie AGAIN claiming you weren't aware of the fraudulent check-scheme in which ex-boyfriend and father of your child Tim Montgomery cashed millions of dollars in stolen or forged checks is even more beyond me. This is going on IN YOUR OWN HOUSE RIGHT IN FRONT OF YOU. How can you turn a blind eye to this? It's like walking into your house and discovering you have a homemade meth lab and think none the wiser.

The world will need time to forgive you Marion and for some that you've hurt so badly, forgiveness may never come. The important thing now is to spread the word and remind children to never do what you did. Because if we let cheating consume all of sports, everything that has ever been done will be under scrutiny.

Picture courtesy of: http://www.americanrhetoric.com/images/marionjonesconfessionsportsillustrated.jpg

The Future of Tony Dungy

There was word out of Indianapolis today that Indianapolis Colts coach Tony Dungy might not be back next season. Fueled by speculation in a report published by the Tampa Tribune, it was reported Thursday that Tony's son Eric Dungy had enrolled at Plant High School in Florida. Whether it's a sign or not, the fact of the matter is up until this year, Eric, a 16-year-old receiver/defensive back, had gone to school at Park Tudor High in Indianapolis. In his 12 seasons as head coach in which he has compiled a 127-65 record, Tony Dungy has considered leaving football before:

-in 2005 it was widely speculated that he would retire after his 18-year-old son James's suicide. But one week after the season ended, Tony announced he was coming back.
-in 2006 following the Super Bowl victory over Chicago, it was again rumored that Dungy wouldn't return, that he'd go out on top just like others before him like John Elway. But again, Tony came back.

The 52-year-old signed a three year contract extension in September 2005, a deal that intended for him to coach through the 2009 season.

If you ask me, based on everything that I've read up to this point, I honestly believe that this will be Tony Dungy's last season in Indianapolis, regardless on how the season ends. I expect them to beat San Diego this weekend and setup what I consider to be the "real" Super Bowl Colts @ Patriots. But when everything is said and done and he talks it over with his wife like he does every year, I think he'll decide that enough is enough. It's not that he's tired of coaching necessarily, but I think there are other things he wants to do in his life. The tragic death of his son was hard on him and honestly, I'm surprised he came back this year. I know you always want to try and defend your title but why? If you feel that God as your witness has called on you to do other things, then walk away now. Since winning the Super Bowl, Dungy has become more involved in activities outside of football. He is the author of the bestseller "Quiet Strength," and also on the President's Council on Service and Civic Participation. In previous interviews, Dungy himself said that he never intended to spend his whole life in football and that he initially planned to retire by 50. His son leaving Indy to go to school in Florida is a huge red flag for me. Whatever his decision is, the important thing is that he will leave on his own terms when he's ready. The man is a Hall of Fame coach regardless, its just a matter of when his faith calls on him to head its next project.

Picture courtesy of: http://msnbcmedia4.msn.com/j/msnbc/Components/Photos/070310/070310_dungy_vmed_330p.widec.jpg

Pete Carroll...Atlanta Falcons next coach?

I've got to admit, when I heard this story, my jaw dropped open in total shock. Pete Carroll possibly leaving USC to go Atlanta? There must be some mistake. Thank god when I actually READ the story, the two sides were just talking, not agreeing on a contract. Now I'm no sports genius (I like to think of myself more of like a sports guru; the next Howie Schwab in training if you will), but why on God's green earth would Pete Carroll leave? You can make the argument that Carroll has done everything he can do at the college level and is looking for his next big project. But let's look at the numbers. In his 7 seasons in Los Angeles Carroll:

-has a (76-14) record
-won 2 national championships
-has one of the highest recruiting classes year after year
-since 2002, has been in a BCS bowl EVERY year

But more importantly in his two NFL coaching stints he was

-(6-10) as the Jets coach in his one and only season (1994) and
-(28-23) with one division title and 2 playoff appearances at coach of the Patriots from 1997-1999.

Some people are just not meant for the NFL. They're a better college coach than a pro one. Don't believe me? Look at Steve Spurrier, Bobby Petrino and Nick Saban. All great college head coaches at one point in their career but failed miserably in the NFL just because they weren't use to losing like they did. And that's why I believe Pete Carroll will turn them down. Why anyone would want to leave a place like Los Angeles where its 70 degrees year round, a place where you are treated like royalty and the best high school players in the nation want to play for you, is beyond me. I could maybe see something in the works if a team like New England or Indianapolis came calling, but I'm pretty sure they're set in their ways, at least for awhile. But Atlanta? Trying to build a team around Chris Redman, Joey Harrington and Warrick Dunn? I don't think so. The loss of Michael Vick hurt this team's image immensely and its going to take a few years to try and get back to the team that went to the NFC Championship in 2004. Until then Pete, enjoy the warm sun beating down on your face. Because if you take this Job in Atlanta, I predict tough times are on the horizon; and the outlook does not predict a very happy ending.

Picture Courtesy of: http://i.a.cnn.net/si/2007/scorecard/02/14/truth.rumors.nfl/petecarroll.jpg

The Impact of Jessica Simpson

I'm sorry, I was going to write about something else today, but after everything I have heard and read about how Dallas Cowboy fans are livid about Jessica Simpson NOT attending this weekend's playoff game against the Giants, I just had to comment on it. It would go against my journalistic tendencies not to say anything. Anyway, here is the point. Sometimes players just have bad games. Tony Romo's week 15 game against Philadelphia was just one of those games. In that game Romo was 13-36 for 214 yards and 3 INTs. Yes, he played bad, but it wasn't because Jessica Simpson was watching. It's not like he kept looking up into the press box after every offensive play like a little kid looking for his parents in the crowd. I used to do that when I was little, I always used to search the stands for my Dad to see if there was anything I should be doing. But playing in front of 50 people at a high school soccer game is a lot different than playing in front of 50,000 every Sunday. He's a grown man. Criticism comes with the job, if you can't take it, do something else. Over the course of a 16 game season a player is bound to have a few bad games. The problem is when you're the quarterback, everyone puts the blame on you if the team doesn't win because then it looks like you're not doing your job. Look at the overall season stats on Romo folks, over 4200 yards, 36 TDs, 19 INT, 97.4 rating on a 13-3 team (that last loss against Carolina shouldn't even count because the Cowboys didn't play everybody due to them already having a first-round bye locked up). If Carson Palmer put up those type of numbers, I'd be a happy Bengals fan.

Oh and P.S. to all you Cubs fans out there, if you're still looking for someone to blame that's not named Steve Bartman, how about Alex S. Gonzalez? If he doesn't boot the routine ground ball and makes the double play, inning over, threat over. Or maybe Kerry Wood for not stepping up in a big-time game. How you can still blame a guy for going for a foul ball that was clearly not catchable for all your troubles as the "Curse of the Billy Goat" now reaches 100 years is beyond me.

Picture courtesy of: http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,317122,00.html

Once Again, Another Ohio State Loss

I've gotta admit, as an Ohio State fan, I'm not using to losing this bad. Growing up, I remember all the good times like when they won the Rose Bowl against Jake Plummer and Arizona State, the 2005 victory over Notre Dame in the Fiesta Bowl, and of course, the 2003 National Championship. A game I was at by the way, and to this day, the best sporting event I have ever seen live in person.

But these last two years have been tough. Twice now I've gone from on cloud nine when the final BCS standings are released, to completely downtrodden after the championship game. And do you want to know the absolute worst part? In both games, Ohio State jumped out to early leads, last year with the KO return for a touchdown by Ted Ginn and this year with Maurice Wells's 65 yard TD run, and from that point on, just looked awful. So there I am jumping around like a madman yelling about how good OSU is, and half and hour later, I'm watching something else. Don't be calling me a fair weather fan now, it's just I can't take the pain of seeing a team come so close and end up so far away.

With the 38-24 loss to LSU, the question becomes now if you're a Buckeye fan like me, how do we fix something like this? Is it the coaching? I don't think so, what Tressel has done for OSU has brought them great success, just not in the pinnacle of when it matters most. If you want my opinion, I think the Big Ten needs to fix how they schedule games. Finishing the season right before Thanksgiving and having 50+ days off until your next game just doesn't make sense to me. It seems in all sports, the team that rests usually doesn't do as well as the other team who plays later into the season. Another example outside of college football is the Boston Red Sox this past baseball season. The Rockies swept both Philadelphia and Arizona on their way to the World Series. The Red Sox on the other hand, had to fight through a grueling 7-game series with Cleveland just to take the ALCS. And what happened? The Red Sox, because they had played more recently than the Rockies, ended up sweeping them in four games and winning their second World Series title in four seasons. So I'm pleading with you Mr. Big Ten Commissioner, please fix the schedule so things like this don't happen again. Otherwise, at least when it comes to OSU these past two years, that maybe the BCS will look somewhere else when deciding who plays in next years national championship.

Picture courtesy of: http://sports.espn.go.com/espn/columns/story?columnist=forde_pat&id=3186010&sportCat=ncf

NFL Playoff Weekend Recap

It's the beginning of another semester for me, and the realization that this is my last few months of college. This wasn't meant to be a personal entry, but at the same time it's kind of sad. The roommates I live with, I've known most of them for four years now, and we're coming to the end of an era. I guess the best thing to do now is to enjoy what little time we have left. Listen to me, babbling on like someones dying and all. Anyway let's get back to the action.

Maybe it's just me, but being an AFC city, I really don't give two hoots about the NFC playoffs. Yes, I'll still watch them because it's the NFL and football is a great sport to watch, but the fact of the matter is, I could personally not care who wins or loses. In the first matchup on Saturday, you had Seattle beating Washington 35-14. The "win it for Sean" tribute is now over. And honestly, I don't have much more to say about that.

The second matchup was easily the best game of the weekend. You had Jacksonville trying to be the first team to win in Pittsburgh twice in one season for the first time in franchise history. And what happens? You have the Jaguars blow an 18 point lead, only to come back in dramatic fashion with a 32 yard run on 4th and 2 by David Garrard setting up the game winning field goal. Final score: Jacksonville 31, Pittsburgh 29. This, and I'm not just saying this because I like the AFC better, was an exciting game, even when it didn't seem like it early on. You knew Pittsburgh wasn't going to give up, no matter how many points they might have been down. To even make a game of it was enough to keep even the most modest of sports fans glued to their seat in anticipation for the next play. Congrats to the Jags for making history.

The other two games, I'm not really going to go into that much detail. The point is, the Tampa Bay Buccaneers were way overrated going into the playoffs. People thought that this defense could actually keep up with the Giants. Final Score: NYG 24, Tampa Bay 14. News Flash: The Bucs went 9-7 in the regular season and only made it to the playoffs because they play in a division that includes Atlanta, New Orleans and Carolina. Maybe they lost because they aren't as good as they think they were. In my opinion to quote Dennis Green, "They are who we thought they were." Mediocre at best, and if they played in the AFC, wouldn't finish any better than 6-10.

And the last game, another one of those, "I guess I'll watch because there's nothing else on" type of games. Yes, Tennessee did goose-egg San Diego in the first half. But let's be honest, did you really think they were going to keep that up. I don't care what people say, LT changes the game even when he's not playing well. The entire focus is on him and that opens up Phillip Rivers game. It's when Rivers doesn't play well that the Chargers are going to run into problems. Look for him to struggle this weekend when they take on the Colts in Indianapolis. Oh, and am I the only person that doesn't believe that Vince Young is as good as he was hyped up to be? Yes, he did lead his team to a 10-6 record, but look at the guy's number from the season. He threw 9 TDs and 18 INTS. I'm not a math genius but I'm pretty sure that means he throws an INT twice as likely as throwing a TD. He also rushed for three touchdowns, take that as you will. Until this guy develops an arm and stops throwing the ball to the other team, he's going to make the same mistakes over and over again. Which is guess is ok, as long as your the team PLAYING the Titans.

Picture Courtesy of: http://weblogs.newsday.com/sports/football/bob_blog/vinceyoung.jpg

Coach Tomlin's Decision Making Process

You know, I'm glad I'm not an NFL coach. When I watch a football game, there are many times where I find myself yelling at the TV thinking that I could do better than the coaches. Take for instance, the Jacksonville-Pittsburgh game on Saturday night. A great game by the way; a critical 4th and 2 run by Jacksonville quarterback David Garrard ended up setting up the game winning field goal and the Jaguars escaped with a 31-29 victory.

Here's the thing...when Garrard scrambled for that 32 yard run on 4th and 2, if you're Coach Mike Tomlin, why even tackle him? Why not just let him ramble into the endzone? If that were the case, rather than having the ball at the Steelers 11, Jacksonville would be kicking off. It would be 35-29 and Pittsburgh would get the ball with 1:30 left and two timeouts. This way, you give yourself a better chance to score even if it means driving the entire length of the field. Instead, what happened was Jacksonville made the Steelers use their timeouts, ran the clock down as long as they could, and kicked what turned out to be the game-winning field goal with 37 seconds left. Having to go 40 yards in 37 seconds is tough, and Ben Roethlisberger ended up fumbling the first play from scrimmage and the game is over.

Now I realize, Jack Del Rio could have easily had Garrard pull a Brian Westbrook and had him kneel the ball. So my theory is not foolproof. In that example, Garrard then kneels the ball at the 1 twice, makes the Steelers use their timeouts, and the game is still over. So only in "Michael's Perfect World" as I like to call it, can this sort of thing happen.

Kansas...the TRUE National Champion?

I didn't get a chance to watch many bowl games since I've been home. It's not that I'm not interested, because I am. It's probably because that my parents decided to buy a 50 inch television, and not have cable. So now, I'm forced to watch championship caliber bowl games, on a GIANT fuzzy TV. And since we don't have cable, ESPN is out. So I'm stuck checking scores and highlights from my laptop which I am currently stealing my neighbor's wireless. (To the owner of the linksys router...my profound apologies). Anyway, the one game that I did get to see last night which I thoroughly enjoyed was the Kansas-Virginia Tech game. I went into this thinking that the Hokie defense would just overwhelm the Jayhawk offense. 60 minutes later, the Jayhawks held on for a 24-21 victory. This is a huge win for the program, not just because the team is coming off a 6-6 record last year, but mainly because it proves that maybe the BCS did get it right. That's not to say that Missouri wouldn't have beaten Va Tech also, but Kansas proved doubters wrong and in some people's minds, if LSU beats Ohio State, Kansas should be the true national champion.

Here's the problem I have with this, there is no way you can declare Kansas national champion regardless of Monday's outcome. Simply because, they played nobody. Until the Nov. 24th game against Missouri, the best team the Jayhawks had played up to that point was the Oct. 6th game at Kansas State, a team that finished the season 5-7. The vote will be up to the AP voters where they stand. In my opinion as of right now, the best two teams are USC and whomever wins Monday night's game. Granted, I want Ohio State to win more than anything, but something tells me they're going to have trouble stopping the LSU offense, even though the defense is playing out of their minds right now. (I read an article that said OSU had only given up 98 points on the entire season on defense. Ok, actually 128, but 30 of those points were on kick off and punt returns for touchdowns. So those don't actually count.) If Ohio State wins this game, there's no debate here. So I guess we'll have to just wait and see.

Top Ten Worst Moments of 2007...

Continuing on with our theme from yesterday, today MTO Productions presents…The Top Ten Worst Moments of 2007. I don’t really like to go into these at length; yet, I think these highlights are important because it takes athletes off the high pedestal that a lot of people put them on. Granted, I’m not comparing myself to LeBron James in any way other than we both live in the state of Ohio, but it just goes to show that athletes make mistakes just like you and I. Except the great thing about being me is that when I do make a mistake, it doesn’t show up the next day on the front page of the Sports section. Let’s begin and remember, you could have totally different rankings and or events than me, but that’s the great thing about sports. There is always room for debate.

1) 756*
-When Barry Bonds hit his 756 record-breaking home run on August 7th, it should have been a time for celebration. But with the release of “Game of Shadows” and being indicted by a federal grand jury for perjury, Bonds’s record is and always will be tainted in the minds of the fans. Long live Roger Maris, the true single-season home run record holder.

2) The Mitchell Report
-This is what any passionate sports fan has been waiting for since March 30, 2006. It was then that it was first reported that baseball had hired George Mitchell to head its steroids investigation. And on December 13, that said report was released to the public. Among the names that we already knew were on there like Barry Bonds, there were others that either took us by complete surprise like Andy Pettitte and Chuck Knobloch or those that we had speculated about but weren’t really sure like Miguel Tejada. As groundbreaking as this report was, in reality, it does nothing more than expose athletes for activities conducted when performance-enhancing drugs were not illegal. So you can’t prosecute them. All we can do now is make sure nothing like this ever happens again. We need random drug tests as often as necessary so we can clean up America’s pastime. So we can instead celebrate the accomplishments of Barry Bonds instead of looking down on them.

3) Michael Vick
-The one thing I hate more than anything is when people look you straight in the eye, and lie right to your face. Even if you don’t know it at the time, when you do find out, it hurts that much more. That’s how I approach the Michael Vick situation. When the FBI raided his Virginia home and found all the dog fighting equipment that was used to electrocute, drown, hang or shoot said dogs, Michael should have right then and there admitted that he was involved. Instead, after his first court appearance in July, Vick released a statement saying, “I take these charges very seriously and look forward to clearing my good name. I respectfully ask all of you to hold your judgment until all of the facts are shown." Memo to Michael: The government just doesn’t indict anyone without sufficient facts. You really think they just woke up one morning and said, “Hmm…I wonder who I’ll attack maliciously today?” I don’t think so. You knew you were guilty and yet you still tried to lie and get away with it like OJ. Do me a favor; say hi to Bubba in prison for me.

4) Tim Donaghy
-This issue has already been beaten into the ground mercilessly. The only thing I want to ask is knowing what we know now, how many games can we consider “fixed” when Donaghy was refereeing? See game 6 of the Suns-Spurs series last year when Robert Horry shoved Steve Nash into the wall on the sidelines. How many ridiculous calls were the result of him trying to cover his and his bookie’s bets?

5) The BCS
-As long as the BCS has been around, it’s never seen a season like this; a season in which four different teams were ranked #1 at some point (LSU, Ohio State, Missouri and USC). A 2-loss team LSU held the #1 spot twice, lost to two different opponents in triple overtime, and jumped 5 spots in the final rankings and STILL made the national title game. While Missouri, lost twice to Oklahoma and was snubbed out of the BCS just because they lost in the Big 12 Title game. And Kansas, at 12-1 was the feel good story of the year after many thought they didn’t stand a chance against Virginia Tech. There is talk about a playoff system but until all the commissioners agree, everything’s at a standstill.

6) Don Imus
-On April 4, 2007 during a discussion about the NCAA Women’s Basketball Championship, Imus characterized the Rutgers Women’s basketball team players as “rough girls” because of their tattoos. He and his producer Bernard McGuirk took turns using different vernacular to describe the women at one point with Imus describing the girls as a bunch of “nappy-headed hoes.” Are you kidding me Don? Did you forget to take your smart pills or something? Because for you to make that comment on nationally syndicated radio and think nobody would be the wiser and that you could get away with it is just absolutely retarded. You must be off your rocker. There is no excuse for using racism, and if I were C. Vivian Stringer, I’d never forgive you.

7) Marion Jones
-Here we go with the lying to your face again. For years, Marion Jones vehemently defended herself saying she never used steroids. Winning five medals at the Sydney Olympics in 2000 made her a star in the eyes of those in the Track and Field world. When it was rumored that maybe Jones had “cheated” her way to victory she was furious. Even after her ex-husband CJ Hunter and former boyfriend Tim Montgomery were both convicted of using performance-enhancing supplements. In 2004 she released a statement saying, "I have never, ever used performance-enhancing drugs." She sued BALCO founder Victor Conte after he repeatedly accused Jones of using performance-enhancing drugs and said he watched her inject herself. Low and behold what can happen in just a few short years. In October, Jones pleaded guilty to lying to federal investigators and announced her retirement after the hearing. She also pleaded guilty to a second count of lying after it was discovered her known involvement in a check-fraud scheme. Now she’s broke, medal-less and headed for jail. Congratulations Marion, I have really high hopes for Tim Montgomery Jr. I’ll bet he’s in jail within fifteen years.

8) Bobby Petrino
-Three jobs in 16 months. Bobby Petrino are you kidding me? First, you sign a 10-year $25.5 million contract to stay at Louisville, where you lead the Cardinals to national prominence and a win in the Orange Bowl over Wake Forrest. You have Brian Brohm, who many thought would only blossom under your tutelage and Michael Bush, one of the better running backs in college football. It can’t get any better it seems. But what do you do, you leave five months later for the NFL, saying that you’re excited for the challenge that awaits for you in Atlanta. Which is another topic for debate for a later time. And just 11 months in, you leave AGAIN. This time for Arkansas, with three games left in the NFL season. Not only are you a coward for not even finishing a season when you have a contract, but you’re also a liar, and if I were a recruit, I wouldn’t believe a word that comes out of your mouth. You can’t even tell your players face-to-face, you instead leave them a note apologizing for bailing on them. What guarantees does Arkansas have that you won’t bolt when the next opportunity comes along? And don’t give me that B.S about how you had to quit because you had to go out on the road and recruit. The Razorbacks, if they really wanted you, could’ve waited three weeks. It’s not like any other coaches were beating down the door vying for the job.

9) Tim Hardaway
-In response to the news that former NBA center John Amaechi was homosexual, former NBA guard Tim Hardaway expressed his views while a guest on Dan Le Batard’s Miami sports station WAXY-AM “"You know, I hate gay people, so I let it be known," Hardaway said. "I don't like gay people and I don't like to be around gay people. I am homophobic. I don't like it. It shouldn't be in the world or in the United States." Hardaway later went on to say, “If he was on my team, I would, you know, really distance myself from him because, uh, I don't think that's right. And you know I don't think he should be in the locker room while we're in the locker room. I wouldn't even be a part of that." My question is, why Tim? Nobody asked for you opinion and by giving it, you only made yourself look worse. Now the word “prejudiced” will always be synonymous with Tim Hardaway, instead of five-time NBA All-Star.

10) David Beckham
-On January 11th, it was reported that English soccer superstar David Beckham, who gained international fame while playing with Manchester United, would be leaving his current club Real Madrid of the Spanish premiere league, to join the Los Angeles Galaxy of the MLS. His contract took effect on July 1st and was worth a reported $250 million dollars over ten years. This included all of the endorsement deals with companies like Adidas, Coca-Cola, and IBM. The hype and expectations were so high, it didn’t help that Beckham was injured. His first MLS action was on August 9th and he came on in the second half of a 1-0 loss. On the year, he played in 8 matches (5 league games), one goal scored, and three total assists. For a guy that was supposed to come to America and gain more fans for the sport, David Beckham failed terribly.

Top Ten Moments of 2007

The best part of a new year is it’s a fresh start from everything that happened the previous year. Not to say that 2007 wasn't great, but it had its highs and lows, especially when it came to the world of sports. We saw records being broken, dynasties established and underdog stories that touched your heart. But we also had scandals that rocked the sports world in a way that I have never seen before. So MTO Productions came up with our top ten, take it as you want but we are proud to present: our top ten BEST moments from 2007. Enjoy:

1) The New England Patriots complete a perfect 16-0 season.
-I never thought something like this would ever happen. A NFL season is just too long and unpredictable and after watching the Broncos in 1998 and the Colts a few years ago, the idea of an undefeated season just seemed preposterous. But if anyone could motivate his team to do it, it’s Bill Belichick. Armed now with Randy Moss and MVP Tom Brady, the Patriots were tested, but always found ways to win. And that's what good teams do. The question now becomes can they win in the playoffs and complete a 19-0 run that would be the greatest in NFL History? Until then, all we can do is wait and see.

2) Appalachian State's historic win over Michigan in Ann Arbor
-At the beginning of the year, this looked like one of those cupcake match ups where Michigan would just annihilate their opponent. But the Mountaineers dominated most of the game and blocked a game winning field goal to upset the Wolverines in "The Big House." It's been called one of the greatest upsets in sports history.

3) The Colorado Rockies win 21 of 22 including 7 straight to make it to the World Series
-Leave it to the Rockies to throw off the NL playoffs. Colorado came all the way back with two weeks to go in the season and tied San Diego on the last day of the season prompting a one game playoff. Going into the bottom of the 13th down 2 runs, the team rallied against Trevor Hoffman and Matt Holiday scored the winning run on a controversial "tag" of home plate. They then went on to sweep both Philadelphia and Arizona on their way to their first World Series.

4) Boise State's "Statue of Liberty" play to win the Fiesta Bowl and upset Oklahoma
-Many people said Boise State didn't deserve to be in a BCS bowl game. After all, they do play in the WAC and going undefeated in the conference doesn't really seem that hard to most sports fans. But the Broncos faced a huge test going against Bob Stoops and Oklahoma. Coach Chris Petersen went into his bag of tricks ending the game on a two-point conversion Statue of Liberty play to win 43-42 in overtime.

5) Roger Federer wins three majors for the third time in four years
-With 12 majors now, the question is no longer WILL Roger Federer break Pete Sampras's all-time grand slam singles record, but more like WHEN will it happen? I'm predicting in Wimbledon later on this year.

6) Indianapolis Colts win the Super Bowl
-For a long time Peyton Manning was compared to Dan Marino; great quarterback, just chokes in the playoffs and can't win the big one. In Manning's case, his demons were the New England Patriots who constantly prevented the Colts from ever winning the AFC. Going into this game the Patriots had won 5 conference championship games in a row that they played in and were going for number 6. That is, until 2007. Manning and the boys finally won a thrilling 38-34 come from behind victory and sent the Colts on their way to their 1st super bowl championship since moving to Indianapolis where they would go on to defeat Chicago 29-17. The monkey was finally off his back and Peyton Manning was now a Super Bowl Champion and MVP.

7) Florida Gators go back-to-back in basketball and win NCAA football title too.
-I was lucky enough to get to see Florida’s 2006 National Championship against UCLA simply because the game was at the RCA Dome and I bought tickets from a friend. A team that I thought was the underdog coming in simply overmatched UCLA in every aspect of the game and won 73-57. Even with all 5 starters coming back, I still didn’t have the Gators repeating because it’s a long season and the idea of returning to the championship game seemed preposterous to me. But Florida in a lineup that included Corey Brewer, Joakim Noah, Al Horford, Lee Humphrey and Taurean Green, not only repeated, they dominated once again and Billy Donovan and Florida had their 2nd straight national title, the first team to do so since 1991-1992 when Duke did it. If that wasn’t good enough, the football team led by Coach Urban Meyer and quarterback Chris Leak THUMPED Ohio State 41-14. Now Florida held both the Men’s basketball and football championships in the same year. It is something that has never been done, congratulations to them.

8) The incredible transformation of Doc Rivers and the Boston Celtics
-It’s funny how a public’s perception of a coach changes as soon as the team starts winning. For Doc Rivers, last season could not have gone any worse. The Celtics “tanked” games at the end of the season and finished 24-58, which included an 18 game losing streak. The hope was they would get a top 2 lottery pick and hopefully draft either Kevin Durant or Greg Oden. Instead, the Celtics got the #5 pick. Given the vote of confidence from Danny Ainge the team went out and traded for All-Stars Ray Allen and Kevin Garnett. Suddenly, everyone’s opinion changed. Now standing at 27-3 and the best record in the NBA, the suddenly “hopeless” Boston Celtics and their coach Doc Rivers look like championship contenders. Only time will tell.

9) San Antonio Spurs win another title and establish themselves as a dynasty
-The definition of a dynasty according to the dictionary is “a family or group that maintains power for a long period of time.” The San Antonio Spurs may just be the next NBA Dynasty. Like the Bulls who won 6 championships in the 1990s, the last one being in 1998 with Jordan’s heroics in Game 6, the Spurs are the new version. With 4 championships since 1999 and a group of players who play like a team more than a bunch of individuals, one can only wonder how great this team can really be. With a squad that includes All-Stars Tim Duncan, Tony Parker and Manu Ginobli, as long as everyone stays healthy, it would be a mistake to bet against them.

10) Golden State Warriors defeat Dallas Mavericks to become first #8 seed to beat a #1 in a best of seven series
-Admit it. Unless you're from Dallas and a lifetime Mavericks fan, you had to be impressed by what Golden State did. Considered a bunch of thugs because of the type of players that make up the team, most people thought that Avery Johnson and Dallas would win this one easily. Leave it up to Baron Davis and company to change all that. The Warriors eliminated the Mavericks in five games and became the first #8 seed to beat a #1 in a seven game series. Golden State would go on to lose in the second round against the Jazz but established themselves as a legitimate threat in the Western Conference.

That's all for today. Look forward to tomorrow and the Top Ten Worst Moments of 2007.

Picture courtesy of: http://www.sportstraveler.net/media/patriots.jpg

Happy New Year and A New Beginning in 2008

I'd like to welcome everybody back who used to read my last blog. The reason I switched was because I had to have something that I could show people after graduation. Using a domain name that had the call letters of the college radio station I was apart of, prevented me from moving on as I like to say. So this is my new blog, one that I will write in everyday. Whether it be a long or short entry the point is, you'll get something. And what better way to being a blog by starting it on 01/01/08? This way, you can follow along with all 365 entries I'll write this year.

For those of you that are new, here's a little bit about myself. My name's Mike Oshita. I'm a 22 year old from Cincinnati Ohio and a senior at Indiana University majoring in Sport Communication. For what seems like my whole life, sports has always been there for me. Whether it was reading Sports Illustrated for Kids cover to cover, to just watching tv (that is, when I used to have cable). The older I got, the more important ESPN was for me. I usually check the website at least four times daily, reading up on everything so I can make myself smarter. This past summer, I interned in Boston for ESPN Radio, and I learned that being in a big city that has four different sports teams is completely different than what I'm used to. For me, it's always been the Bengals and Reds. But having to learn stuff about the Celtics and Bruins, two sports that I really don't care that much about, changed my outlook on things.

You can hear me every Monday morning from 4:30-6 AM on 99.1 WIUX in Bloomington Indiana. Along with my two co-hosts Justin Neff and Mark Perlman-Price we host a sports talk radio show called "The Front Row." Think of it as a combination of PTI and ATH. Or for those of you not in Indiana, you can stream live on WIUX.org. That's all for now, look for the next posting soon. Any comments feel free to email me at moshita@indiana.edu.

Picture courtesy of: http://www.wiux.org/new/