NFL Week 10: The Down and The Dirty

By Dan Rodgers

My sincerest apologies for this delayed post. However, it is going to published before the start of the Thursday game coming up: Miami @ Carolina

NFL Week Ten

“The Down”

Most football fans saw something this past Thursday night that we might not see ever again. Jay Cutler threw five interceptions. You might be asking why this is special? The reason it is special is because his five interceptions made it three consecutive weeks that a quarterback has thrown five picks. He did throw for just over 300 yards and the Bears actually did have an opportunity to win the game at the end. But, what do you know, that was when Cutler threw his fifth, final and game-ending interception.

Honorable Mentions:

QB Brady Quinn (CLE) – 13 of 31 for 99 yards and 2 INTs

WR Santana Moss (WAS) – 2 for 8 yards

RB Laurence Maroney (NE) – 10 for 31 yards 1 TD 1 FUM

RB Rashard Mendenhall (PIT) – 13 for 36 yards

“The Dirty”

This week’s “The Dirty” might be a little controversial if you look at the honorable mentions; however, it seems to me that the situation was enough to help the stats. Reggie Wayne had 10 receptions for 126 yards and 2 touchdowns. The reason he is the winner ahead of Moss is because Wayne’s second touchdown came with thirteen seconds left in the game. He dove to make the catch and there was a ton of contact between him and the defensive back. The game winning touchdown combined with stellar enough stats was enough for propel Wayne ahead of the players you see below.

Honorable Mentions:

RB Chris Johnson (TEN) – 26 for 132 yards and 2 TDs

QB Kurt Warner (ARI) – 29 of 38 for 340 yards and 2 TDs

WR Randy Moss (NE) – 9 for 179 yards and 2 TDs

WR Sidney Rice (MIN) –7 for 207 yards

Rodgers That

Cleveland Cavaliers (8-3) at Washington Wizards (2-6)

By Leatherworld

Hey everyone,

This is my first post, and it’s going to be an important one. Tonight the Cavs and Wizards face off at the Phone Booth on ESPN.

The Wiz have been off to a slow start, and most of this blame lies with their inability to stay healthy. It should be interesting to see how Antawn Jamison responds after being on the sideline for the last 5 weeks with a shoulder injury. Agent Zero seems to be fully healed from the knee injury that kept him out all last season, and the decision to trade away their first round draft pick to receive Randy Foye and Mike Miller has looked like a good one.

The Cavs have been on a hot streak since losing their first two. LeBron James has been playing well and Shaq looks like he can still be a force inside. The addition of Shaq and Anthony Parker really give the Cavs other offensive threats to complement LeBron. Unfortunately for the Cavs, they’ll be without Anderson Varejao and Shaq tonight, so the younger guys are going to have to step up.

If the Wizards want to get back in the win column, they’ve got to get Jamison involved in the offense, and they’ll have to play the strength of the guards. Defensively, they must contain LeBron and force him to make jumpers.

LINE: Cavs -4

Pick: Cavaliers: 90 Wizards: 93

Flashin' the Leather

Refs worth all the zeros?

By Dan Rodgers

It all really took off during the 2009 MLB post-season. There were countless calls in just about every game that were questionable to the extent that it was hard to believe the referee or umpire couldn't see the play to make the correct call. For example: Game 2 ALDS, Twins vs. Yankees. Joe Mauer hit line drive right down the left field line and the ball is called foul even though it is clearly fair.

In the ALCS, Angels vs. Yankees, Nick Swisher was apparently picked off of second base but he was called safe. Later than inning, it was called that Swisher left early from third base even though he clearly did not. It is absurd to think that the umpires did such a poor job in the most important series of their careers and since it was a chance to go to the World Series for each team. I can only hope that the umpires were just consistently bad and did not feel the need to have a make-up call for a previously bad call. That would be dispicable and is not how the game of baseball is or should be conducted.

Don't forget about the NFL. Don't get me started on all these rules protecting quarterbacks; don't they wear pads and helmets? The thing that gets me the most in the NFL is the spot of the ball and how nonchalantly the refs just place the ball. The ball is supposed to be placed in its location when the players knee, elbow, etc. hits the ground. In many cases it seems like they are just guessing. Not to mention the forward motion rule. It is 100% speculation. The refs have to decide if they think the runner was trying to move forward or if he voluntarily moved backwards.

The worst might be the NBA and just basketball in general. I have a hard time watching basketball because I feel like a foul is called on every possession up and down the floor. All the player has to do is drive the lane and flail in the air and he will be awarded two shots.

Oh, by the way, these guys make six figure salaries just for the duration of the season.

Rodgers That