Hook these two up.
Luckily, they are both on the north side of 50. For those of you not in the know, Chris Evert was most known for losing to Martina Navritilova, and Greg Norman had some memorable choke jobs. For more on choke artists, see this ESPN article.
Formula One's Michael Schumacher--one of the most recognized faces in sports outside the U.S.--apparently used his celebrity to commandeer a taxi cab that was going too slow for comfort.
The Schumacher family flew to southern Germany from Switzerland on Saturday via private jet to buy a puppy. The cabbie drove the family to a breeder in Gesuelz, then back to the airport.
But on the ride back, the cabbie apparently wasn't going fast enough for Schumacher's taste, so the seven-time Formula One Champion--the most successful FO driver in history--told the cabbie to skooch over.
"It was sheer lunacy," cabbie Tuncer Yilmaz told the Muenchener Abendzeitung newspaper. "He took the curves with full speed, but you couldn't even notice it. He just knows how to do it."Schumacher showed his appreciation by giving the cabbie a €100 ($146.72) tip, on top of the €60 ($88.03) fare.
Yilmaz' only regret? He wishes German photo radar would have caught Schumacher speeding.
"I so much would have loved to get a speeding photo of this ride," Yilmaz told the Abendzeitung. "I would have gladly paid a ticket for that."
This is a GREAT article...money quote:
Part of the problem is 3-4 teams have more competition for players who exclusively fit the scheme. A quarter of the league’s teams are expected to run the 3-4 this season, including the Browns under second-year Coach Romeo Crennel — who helped make the 3-4 so popular with his success as defensive coordinator in New England.The way the Steelers do the 3-4, they draft a guy at DE or OLB and groom him for years—Aaron Smith, Brett Kiesel, Joey Porter, Clark Haggans, James Harrison. Do the Steelers have the people to replace these guys? At DL, definitely not. At LB, probably not, but you never know.
More teams are using it now than it any point since the mid-’80s. Just three years ago, only four teams used the 3-4.
“There was a time there when you could look at certain guys (who fit the 3-4) and say nobody else in the league is going to have this guy rated very high because he’s not a 4-3 end and he’s not a 4-3 ’backer,” Patriots Coach Bill Belichick says. “That’s not the case now.”
The other issue is unless a 3-4 team is scouting a player at Virginia or Texas A&M, it can’t see that player use the techniques required in a 3-4 defense. As NFL teams have warmed to the 3-4, colleges have cooled to it. That means almost every outside linebacker a 3-4 NFL team looks at is a projection
The fabled Steelers D got ripped to shreds last night by the Pats, in a scenario that was first documented by the, yep, New England Patriots way back in 2002. 25 passes in a row by Tom Brady let to a 30-14 win, where the last Steeler TD was in garbage time. Last night Tom Brady threw 33 times in a row -- the result, 34-13, Pats. Since Pittsburgh got exposed by the Pats 5 years ago, little has changed. The Steelers still don't have a dominant pass rush, and thus must take risks to get to the quarterback.
Meanwhile, Tony Dungy runs the Tampa 2, a base defense with a somewhat basic scheme that relies on pressure from the Front 4, allowing 7 players to routinely play coverage. Mike Tomlin, Steeler coach, is a Tampa 2 guy, but in deference to old lion Dick LeBeau (and probably owner Rooney's wishes), the Steelers have stuck with their 3-4 concept this year. In Dungy's defense, players dictate schemes, while in the Steelers defense, schems dicate the players. Here's my argument for why that should change in 2008.
Steelers 2008 Draft Needs: 3-4
3-4 DL depth: currently the Steelers have a quality front 3, Smith Hampton Kiesel. They have one quality backup: Hoke. The steelers need to find 2 3-4 DEs in the draft or FA next year.
3-4 LB depth: Farrior is getting old, Foote is average. Timmons is not a 3-4 OLB, and will probably have to move inside. Woodley has shown flashes, but didn't paly much and is now injured. Haggans is average, J. Harrison is quality, and A. Harrison and A. Frazier are solid backups. Clint Kreiwaldt is only good for STs. At the very least, the Steelers need a pass rushing OLB who can also play well in coverage, which is kind of a funny requirement given how poor the existing Steeler LBs are in coverage.
Secondary: Because of the rules that favor the offense, pass rush becomes more important than coverage. Plus, there are maybe 3 shutdown corners in the league: Charles Woodson, GB; Champ Bailey, Denver; and the Oakland guy with the crazy name. Asante Samuel of NE could be considered too. The Steelers have big, physical corners who are often ineffective in soft zone coverage, as they are asked to play often in the 3-4. The Steelers shouldn't looke for a gamebreaker, but rather look for depth here.
2008 Steelers Draft Needs: 4-3
4-3 DL depth: Kiesel would stay at end, Smith would move inside with Hampton, and Woodley would put his hand down to be a full-time pass rusher. The steelers would need to draft a 4-3 DE and a 4-3 DT, with Hoke as the one quality backup. NOTE: I assume that a 4-3 is easier on the DL, because there are more of them, and they typically have one gap to play rather than 2. Plus, both Hampton and Kiesel can drop weight, which will make them quicker and more effective.
4-3 LB depth: 43 backers are SAM--or strongside linebacker, who is big, physical, and must jam the TE. the MIKE, or middle backer, should be quick and able to flow to the ball (in the Tampa 2 43 he must also be able to cover the deep zone down the field). The WILL, or weakside backer, is set up to be the star--he can roam in space and make plays. In the Steelers 43 system, Haggans plays the SAM, Farrior moves to back him up (he can also back up as MIKE), as he played OLB early in his career. If you want to run the Tampa 2 43, Timmons plays the Mike because of his speed and pass coverage skills. James Harrison must get on the field, but he doesn’t have the range to play a 4-3 Tampa MLB. He may have the skills to play WILL, but I can see a situation where Harrison plays inside and Timmons weakside OLB.
Final Analysis:
In the 43, the Steelers need 2 defensive linemen commonly available in the draft to "plug and play." They also would need a SAM backer and maybe a WILL, but as depth.
In the 34, the Steelers need 2 DEs who must be selected and then forced to add weight and then groomed for the position in 2 years. They also need to find a rarity: the OLB who can rush the passer effectively and play in coverage. They haven't had that player since Joey Porter in 2002.
So, in 2008, you can look for 2 DLs and one LB who can possibly play right away, or two DEs and one OLB that you need to groom for 2 years first. Given the way the game changes from year to year, I don't think the Steelers can afford to go this route again.
In a word, yes, or maybe. Actually I don't think so. This game has the makings of the Steelers Colts in 05 where the Steelers got blitzed 26-7. But remember, they came back in the playoffs and beat the Colts on their way to the Super Bowl.
Also, I read on one of the major sports sites that since the 38-7 cremation of the Ravens, where Big Ben had 5 TD passes, he has thrown 5 TDs and 5 INTs in the following 3 games. Not good.
Watching the Steelers week to week, I know these things: If they have a shutdown corner in Ike Taylor, I haven't seen it yet, but maybe it's more scheme than ability. If they have a pass rush that can get to the QB without blitzing, I haven't seen it yet. If they have an offensive line that can impose it's will on a defense, I haven't seen it yet.
Maybe they are holding back, playing possum, not revealing too much lest it show up on tape for Belichick to analyze. But obviously I haven't seen that yet.
Another thing that I haven't seen, that I wish I have, is Rookie LBs Timmons and Woodley playing bigger roles. Woodley seemed to show an ability to get to the quarterback off the edge, which the Steelers need like the Dolphins need a win. Timmons is fast, fast enough to be split wide on the punt team, and apparently has flashed enough coverage skills in practice that he may prove valuable in covering the New England TEs and RBs. But that's in practice.
But there's one thing I HAVE seen from the Steelers is inconsistency. Mental lapses, seemingly deficient gameplans and attention to detail, bumbling plays, and a knack for playing down to their opposition. Will they be able to get up for the New England megalith? I hope so. But if not, maybe if they meet again in the playoffs, things will be different. I would like to see that.
Bill Belichick? 
Or Rex Ryan?
With 1 minute left in the game and the Pats driving for the game winning TD, the Pats rushed the line of scrimmage on 4th and 1 for a patented Tom Brady QB sneak. You would have to be stupid not to expect that play, and the Ravens D knew what was up, and took Brady down behind the line of scrimmage. Say Goodbye, Perfect Season...
But...But...Wait...Oh, timeout? By whom? Oh...Ravens...What?? Ravens Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan called timeout from the sidelines just as the play snapped. Do Over, Pats 1st down, Game Over.
Calling timeouts from the sideline has been NFL coaches signature douchebag move this year (see Shanahan, Mike), esp. right as a game winning or tying field goal is about to be kicked. As much as I hate the Patriots and wanted to see them lose, I am pretty pleased to see the sideline timeout backfire on a coach. Maybe then they'll actually change the rule so that only players within the lines can call timeout, as it should be.
On another note, the Ravens D thought they had this game won, and they did. They certainly have a beef with Head Coach Brian Billick, who resorted to unimaginative playcalling when trying to protect the lead and left Kyle Boller to be fed to the wolves by passing in obvious passing situations. However, Ed Reed did fumble an INT right before the half--if he merely held onto the ball, the Ravens would have been in scoring position--which is unconscionable, esp. for Bill Belichick's favorite player. And Bart Scott's meltdown, being assessed 30 yards in penalties after the go-ahead touchdown, basically downgrading the Ravens chances from slim to none, is also unforgivable. The Ravens D is just as much to blame in this loss as their Offense...but maybe not their coaches.
Dear Joe Gibbs:
For Christmas, I will buy you a car. Hell, three cars, but if I do, that football has got to go. Don't worry, it looks like your poop. So you won't miss it. And it won't miss you.
Dear Marvin Lewis:
I guess coaching God's Linebacker in Baltimore made you think that you could draft questionable characters and still get results on the field. Well, it's true. But you didn't learn another thing from God's Linebacker, or He Who Sanctioned But Did Not Commit--So, You Must Acquit!--Murder Because It Is God's Will: Don't draft pussies.
Chad Johnson: If he acts like a transvestite when he scores, maybe he is. He even has a stage name!
T.J. Housmenzadeh: This guy is prettier than your wife.
Carson Palmer: He's like Troy Aikman, but gayer.
P.S. Don't play grabass with the refs, either. It's unprofessional.
Found in a recent Sports Illustrated:
I think this dramatically alters the equation of that eternal question discussed here.
I am going to start the bidding that this is worth 10 annoying Peyton Manning commercials.
It’s been two months since our last Power Rankings. Let’s see how things have changed.
The big question here is, will estranged HW Champion Randy Couture agree to come back to the UFC to finish his contract (he has two fights remaining over the next nine months)? UFC President Dana White is sitting down with Couture on Tuesday, November 20, to discuss the terms of their arrangement and an upcoming fight with “Minotauro” Nogueira on Super Bowl weekend, February 2, 2008.
Otherwise—if Couture walks—Nogueira will face former champ Tim Sylvia for the vacant belt. This makes some sense, as Andrei Arlovski’s future is still stalled in a contract dispute (plus, Sylvia has beaten the Belarussian twice), and the only other HW contender coming off a win is Cheick Kongo, who we believe is still one win away from a title shot. Regardless, we hope there’s an Arlovski/Gonzaga fight somewhere in the near future.
This week, we dropped Arlovski three places due to inactivity (since April) associated with his contract dispute; Sylvia gains one with a win over Vera (via unanimous decision), dropping “The Truth” two spots; Jeff Monson, who is no longer under UFC contract and hasn’t fought in the organization in more than a year drops off, as does Marcio Cruz; and Brock Lesnar and Tom Murphy make their first Top 15 appearances (Note: Murphy also hasn’t fought in more than a year—since March 2006—but is supposed to be fighting in the UFC soon).
Upcoming Heavyweight fights currently scheduled and/or rumored include Eddie Sanchez vs. #19 UFC newcomer Soa “The Hulk” Palalei at UFC 79 (Dec. 29); Gabriel Gonzaga vs. Fabricio Werdum at UFC 80 (Jan. 19); #17 Antoni Hardonk vs. #21 Colin Robinson at UFC 80; Nogueira vs. either Couture or Sylvia at UFC 81 (Feb. 2); and former champ Frank Mir vs. UFC newcomer and former big-time wrestling star Brock Lesnar at UFC 81. Your Top 15 Contenders are:
The Light Heavyweight Division saw its own share of shuffling over the past two months, including:
Upcoming LHW bouts include Wanderlei Silva making his Octagon return vs. Chuck Liddell at UFC 79 (Dec. 29), both of whom are coming off rare back-to-back losses; Ryoto Machida will introduce Rameau Thierry Sokoudjou to the Octagon at UFC 79; and #24 Alessio Sakara will take on #25 UFC newcomer James Lee at UFC 80 (Jan. 19). Your Top 15 Contenders are:
The thin Middleweight division saw the introduction of Champion Anderson Silva’s biggest threat to date: PRIDE’s MW Champion Dan Henderson. The two Champions are scheduled to meet in a unification bout at UFC 82 in March in Columbus, OH.
Another addition to the MW division is a PRIDE and UFC veteran and MW King of Pancrase, Ricardo Almeida, who last fought in the UFC at UFC 35, back in 2002. Now signed to a six-fight contract, Almeida hasn't fought professionally in more than three years, although he's riding a six-fight win streak, including wins over Nate Marquardt and WW Ryo Chonan.
Fights over the past two months included:
Upcoming fights include #18 Dean Lister vs. #34 Jordan Radev at UFC 79 (Dec. 29); Kendall Grove vs. #23 Jorge Rivera at UFC 80 (Jan. 19); Nate Marquardt vs. Thales Leites at UFC 81 (Feb. 2); #22 Patrick Cote vs. TBD at UFC 81; and Anderson Silva vs. Dan Henderson at UFC 82 (Mar. 1). Your Top 15 Contenders are:
Normally one of the more busy divisions, the Welterweights saw little action over the last two months. Along with knocking Drew Fickett down two pegs due to inactivity (he hasn’t fought in the UFC since April, but has gone 1-0 in other organizations), the SteelSkins Top 15 saw the following activity:
Despite the slow couple of months, the TUF 6 Finale on December 8 will include a plethora of WW action—likely 6 or 7 matchups, along with the LW headliner detailed below. Other upcoming fights include Champion Matt Serra vs. former Champ Matt Hughes (UFC 79); #19 Tony DeSouza vs. #22 Roan Carniero (UFC 79); Marcus Davis vs. #24 Jess Liaudin (UFC 80); #23 Paul Taylor vs. #29 Paul Kelly at UFC 80; and Mike Swick making his WW debut vs. TBD (Fight Night 12). Your Top 15 Contenders are:
Sean Sherk’s steroid appeal has been postponed for a third time, and will now take place on December 4. Barring a miracle, Sherk will be stripped of his title and removed from the SteelSkins Power Rankings until his suspension is served (likely on July 5, 2008, when both he and former #1 Contender Hermes Franca will return to action).
In the meantime, the UFC announced a match up for the “Interim LW Belt” between #1 Contender B.J. Penn and #2 Contender Joe “Daddy” Stevenson. The winner will likely fight Sherk, upon his return, to unify the belts.
The last two months saw moderate action, including:
Upcoming fights include Roger Huerta vs. Clay Guida (TUF 6 Finale); Melvin Guillard vs. #31 Rich Clementi (UFC 79); TUF 5 Runner-Up #26 Manny Gamburyan vs. #42 Nate Mohr (UFC 79); #30 Doug Evans vs. #44 Mark Bocek (UFC 79); B.J. Penn vs. Joe Stevenson (UFC 80); #18 Sam Stout vs. #33 Terry Etim (UFC 80); The long-awaited premier of 6’6” lightweight #39 Corey Hill vs. TBD (Fight Night 12); and Tyson Griffin vs. Gleison Tibau (UFC 81). Your Top 15 Contenders are:
Sorry to interrupt Adam's multiple post epic on how to beat up Anderson Cooper (answer: tell him he has a hair out of place and then punch him in the groin when he panics), but I'm ready to roll out my NFL Power Rankings. Kind of a pointless task this season, since it really is the Patriots and everybody else, but I always enjoy the art of placing increasingly mediocre teams in some kind of order based on pretty much nothing.
So here goes. I may do another one of these at some point this season. I may not. Depends.
Ladies and germs, your 2007 Week 10 NFL Power Dower Dippsy Doo Rankeroos:
So to recap, how to beat Anderson Silva (20-4):
1. Beat him when he's inexperienced, as Luiz Azeredo did in May 2000. Seeing as how that can't happen again now that Silva has 24 fights under his belt, we can rule this one out.
2. Fool him into thinking you are a can and submit him when he's annoyed at your attempts to roll around and cower at his ankles, as Daiju Takase did in June 2003. But you know what they say, fool me once... I think we can rule this one out too.
3. Get your ass handed to you for three rounds straight and then pull a flying submission move out of your ass that has about a 1 in 30 chance of success, as Ryo Chonan did in December 2004. This one has potential.
4. Get Silva to kick your face off and hope the ref sees it as illegal, as Yushin Okami did in January 2006. No thanks.
Before even stepping into the Octagon, Anderson Silva had the reputation for being one of the most devastating and dangerous strikers in the 185-pound division. Although his clinch is
perhaps the sickest in MMA, the only question mark was, and perhaps still is, his ground game.
While the UFC has fed Silva some tough strikers, including former champ Rich Franklin (twice) and bruiser Chris Leben, the truth is, these fighters never stood a chance at defeating Silva. The Champion’s other two opponents fared little better, although they matched up well on paper. While Nate Marquardt is fairly well-rounded, he is best known for his BJJ, kickboxing and kenpo skills, and is the only man to be a seven-time King of Pancrase. Even still, Silva manhandled Marquardt and won via TKO in 4:50 of the very first round.
Silva’s only other Octagon opponent was Travis Lutter, a black belt in Machado Brazilian Jiu-jitsu and world class grappler, having previously competed (twice) in the invitation-only Abu Dhabi World Championships, largely considered to be the highest level grappling tournament in the world. Other than Franklin in his second crack at the Champ, Lutter is the only man to make it into the second round against Silva since April, 2005. Although extremely gassed from cutting so much weight (which he failed to do successfully), Lutter actually looked tough against the then-new Champ; however, Silva turned the tables on Lutter midway through the second round and ended up submitting the Ultimate Submission World Champion and TUF4 winner via triangle choke.
Even though it is largely considered his only potential weakness, Silva’s groundwork has improved significantly since his last two PRIDE fights. The latest (a loss to Ryo Chonan), we’ve already commented on. But before that, on May 8, 2003, Silva was submitted by Daiju Takase
(7-11-1). While Takase is a very experience fighter with excellent submission skills, he was largely seen as a low-level can who was fed to Anderson as a stepping stone. While no video is available at this time of the fight, Takase’s rolling triangle choke submission of Anderson has been called “one of the most unique submissions ever seen.” See the picture to the right.
Silva’s only other loss was his very first professional MMA fight—a two-round decision to Luiz 
Azeredo (11-6, although he was 2-1 going into the fight at the time). Azeredo is also a Brazilian Jiu-jitsu practitioner who holds a win over Naoyuki Kotani (17-7-5) and has been defeated twice by the #1 Lightweight fighter in the world, PRIDE Lightweight Champion Takanori Gomi (one of those fights is shown here ). Azeredo trains at Chute Boxe with Wanderlei Silva and Mauricio “Shogun” Rua.
Continuing in our series of how to beat the seemingly unstoppable Anderson Silva (20-4, 5-0 in the UFC), let's look at Silva's most recent loss: to Yushin Okami (21-4, 5-1 in the UFC). Rumor has it that Okami, who has fulfilled his fight contract with the UFC, will not be re-signed. Why the UFC would risk further depleting its extremely thin Middleweight Division is beyond me, especially when the fighter in question holds a win over the champion.
Regardless, Okami's one loss inside the Octagon is to former champ Rich Franklin, placing a possible title shot on the distant horizon, if he's re-signed at all. But with 4 of his 6 UFC fights going to a decision, it seems improbable that the UFC wants him back.
Still, back on January 20, 2006, Okami met Silva in a tournament called Rumble on the Rock 8. What's interesting is that this fight took place at 170 lbs. Both Silva and Okami are considered to be HUGE middleweights today--Silva for his height and reach advantage, and Okami for his bulk. Apparently, back in early 2006, both fighters were significantly smaller.
The fight lasted only 2:33, and it ended with a disqualification of Silva due to illegal kick. I still don't understand what was illegal about it (had Okami not been kneeling and instead, standing, it would have been legal--but I still see it as an amazing KO), and Okami could have chosen to continue fighting; however, he likely knew Silva had his number that day, and he had the rest of the tournament to consider. So Okami took the win, albeit one that, in my eyes, is a dishonorable one. You decide:
The UFC recently signed welterweight Ryo "The Piranha" Chonan (14-7), who will be making his Octagon debut against Karo "The Heat" Parisyan (25-3, 7-2 in the UFC) this Saturday at UFC 78. Chonan's 14-7 record is deceiving, as it includes losses to some of the MMA elite, including Dan Henderson, Paulo Filho and Ricardo Almeida (who's beaten Nate Marquardt).
Chonan's biggest win, by far, is over the seemingly unstoppable Anderson Silva (20-4) via a very rare flying leg scissor takedown turned heel hook. While the larger Silva, a natural middleweight, was crushing Chonan the entire fight, Chonan managed to survive late into the third round, when he sank the acrobatic move for the improbable come-from-behind win.
This video shows the win, with commentary provided by former PRIDE Heavyweight Champion Josh Barnett.
Here is the "Internet fight sensation's" first official MMA fight. Anyone think Bo Cantrell took a dive? These guys say No. Regardless, Cantrell chickened out. If you watch the reply closely, Kimbo's uppercut doesn't even connect with Cantrell's jaw (it connects with Cantrell's armpit!) Big time chicken.
I know there's a weight class difference, but I'd like to see Kimbo take on another bruiser: the UFC's Houston Alexander. That'd be a fight. When Sakara (a BJJ blackbelt), takes him down, Alexander bucks him so fast it's no wonder the big guy benches a reported 450 lbs. And despite the rumors that Alexander's scar on his stomach is from a gunshot wound, it's actually because he only has one kidney. He gave the other to his daughter (he's a single father of, count 'em, six kids).
Wagnerav:
It's sweeps week:
MIN @ GB Brett Favre for the sweep
JAX @ TEN TEN for the sweep
DEN @ KC KC
BUF @ MIA BUF
STL @ NO NO
CLE @ PIT PIT for the sweep
PHI @ WAS WAS for the sweep
ATL @ CAR CAR for the sweep
CIN @ BAL Cinny for the sweep via deep bombs
DAL @ NYG NYG for the upset split
DET @ AZ DET
CHI @ OAK CHI
IND @ SD IND
SF @ SEA SEA for the sweep
Aaron:
MIN @ GB GB
JAX @ TEN TEN
DEN @ KC KC
BUF @ MIA BUF
STL @ NO NO
CLE @ PIT PIT
PHI @ WAS PHI
ATL @ CAR ATL
CIN @ BAL Cincy
DAL @ NYG DAL
DET @ AZ DET
CHI @ OAK OAK
IND @ SD IND
SF @ SEA SEA
Boss Hog:
MIN @ GB MIN
JAX @ TEN TEN
DEN @ KC KC
BUF @ MIA MIA
STL @ NO NO
CLE @ PIT PIT
PHI @ WAS PHI
ATL @ CAR CAR
CIN @ BAL BAL
DAL @ NYG NYG
DET @ AZ AZ
CHI @ OAK CHI
IND @ SD IND
SF @ SEA SEA
I'm still trying to figure out this "nugget" of newsworthy information:
Tomlin making friends: Just after Monday's night's 38-7 domination of the Ravens, the new, emotional leader of the 6-2 Steelers waited in the tunnel to high five and hug every player as they came in. Who was it? Rookie head coach Mike Tomlin. Unlike former head coach Bill Cowher, the 35-year-old Tomlin generally isn't a rah-rah guy. Also unlike Cowher, Tomlin isn't a yeller, which players appreciate. Ben Roethlisberger told me Tomlin "has brought fun back." -- Bob HoltzmanSo Tomlin high fives and hugs every player after a game and he's NOT rah rah? What is the definition of rah rah? But I guess he didn't yell while he was doing it, so that's okay. And coaches who don't yell, and aren't rah rah...how can they be fun? Maybe he throws great parties?
Me and Bill Simmons didn't get off on the right foot. The first article I read of his, way back in 01 or 02, was making fun of Kordell Stewart after a regular season dismantling of the Steelers by the Pats...you know, the one where Brady threw it 25 times in a row.
But I grew to like him, because he basically wrote as a fan, albeit one with an impressive pop culture knowledge. But the downside of his fan-ness is when it takes over, and his defensiveness over the Pats this season has become amazingly annoying. His most recent column devotes more than 3,500 words to grievance with the offciating of the Pats/Colts game, a game the Pats won, of course. There were some shaky calls, mostly the pass interferences, but these are also calls that are routinely screwed up by officials in almost every game, not only because the refs suck, but also because the current rules are so poorly written.
Such defensiveness stems from Simmons' Belichick-like refusal to call a spade a spade. He has vilified Eric Mangini, called him a snitch (btw, an extremely loaded word these days--given Carmelo Anthony's appearance in and "anti snitch" DVD, as well as the impact "snitching" has in Simmons' supposedly favorite show, The Wire) and defended the Pats by whining that "everybody does it." How can you say the Pats were "hard hit" by the punishment for cheating when they still have a first round pick (SF) that could well be top-five?
What's most rich about this is that the whole Pats dynasty, if you want to call it that, was built on the rock-solid foundation of a combination of shitty officiating and poorly written rules--the "Tuck" rule. Anyone who watches that game and thinks that Tom Brady was still in a throwing motion, or that such movement should be interpreted as a throwing motion, is an idiot.
Back in the old days, people who became unbearable through great success and even greater arrogance were ostracized. Everybody likes a winner, we understand. What they don't like is a braggart. So, at the risk of becoming even more annoying, I will only say this once:
Bill: We get it. You're a fan. Now shut up about the Pats already.
According to the Miami Student, the oldest university newspaper in the United States since 1826 and the newspaper of record of my alma mater, Miami University (the real Miami, not that fake place down in Florida), a slogan incorporated on the Delta Chi fraternity’s rush T-shirts has kicked up quite a storm within the Greek community in Oxford, OH.
While D Chi chapter president Anthony DePine insists that the meaning of the slogan “is to be left up to the person reading the shirt,” that explanation fell on the deaf ears of several Miami sororities, as well as the Panhellenic Association (the governing body of sororities).
The slogan in question—“No one over 150 after 1:50”—which was printed on the backside of the D Chi rush shirts, has been interpreted by some to mean “No girl over 150 pounds after 1:50 a.m.”
Imagine that.
Now the Interfraternity Council (IFC) has gotten involved and has met with D Chi to discuss repercussions. In response, D Chi leadership has largely folded, issuing a formal apology and agreeing to sign a contract “ensuring IFC that they would not be wearing the shirt anymore in public or in view of anyone,” according to Michael Simon, vice president of public relations for the IFC. Delta Chi also agreed to work with student ambassadors from the Women's Center on “issues of programming.”
According to Claire Dickerson, vice president of public relations for the Panhellenic:
“We feel that wearing this shirt undermines the message of self-acceptance we hope to cultivate in all our chapter members and forces women to unfairly question their body image… The Panhellenic community is working hard to instill confidence in women and celebrate the beauty of being a woman, independent from the number she sees on the scale. We are disturbed that a Greek chapter would work against our goal of self-acceptance and inner beauty.”
Rebecca Bailey; president of the Kappa Delta chapter at Miami, a leading voice against the slogan, said that at least 90 percent of the members of KD signed a petition against D Chi’s slogan. According to Bailey:
“We decided not to invite Delta Chi to help us with (our) philanthropy…before their shirts came out, but once I learned about the shirts it definitely reinforced the decision not to help us.”
Another voice of opposition, Katherine Ruhl of Gamma Phi Beta has signed on to the petition, saying:
“We previously thought really highly of Delta Chi…we were just really shocked they would have a shirt that had such an offensive slogan on it.”
This incident begs several questions:
Don’t take my word for it. Take theirs:
Here's some of Miami's own KDs at their annual "Luck be a KD" party:
Here again, some KDs gather at a toga party (like I said, hit or miss):
Here are some pledges of Gamma Phi Beta:
And finally, here’s Gamma Phi Beta’s “1st place dance competition video” (granted, this is from USI, but it was too good to pass up):
I recently spoke with an ’05 alum of Miami—who also happens to be a Delta Chi alum—to see how he felt about the slogan. His only complaint? Why not go with a slogan touting Delta Chi’s long tradition of mediocre athleticism during Greek Week? In his words:
“What about, ‘Win or lose, we’ll probably lose.’ Or better yet, ‘If you can’t beat us on the field, you can always beat us off.’”
I’m sure one of those suggestions would be taken with less severity than the “150” slogan.
Fortunately, all those D Chi rush t-shirts won’t go completely to waste. Apparently girls from the Theta sorority—well known for their hotness—have taken up wearing the “150” shirts. How’s that for justice, ladies?
(If anyone has any photos of hot Thetas wearing the "150" shirts, please send them to this site and we will update this post. Thanks.)
ProFootballWeekly, which is basically a better sourced, more football facts and schemes focused than rumors/entertainment based like ProFootballTalk, has an article with midseason reports on each team. I think their assessment of the Steelers is right on:
4. PittsburghSteelers fans are too used to excusing or ignoring QB play--running the ball and playing stout D are the linchpins of Steeler football--and treating the QB like an unquantifiable variable (which it is...see Super Bowl XXX) surrounded by a complex series of checks and balances that aim to make the QB position irrelevant (see the Kordell Stewart years). But ultimately, to win a championship, your QB has to make championship throws. Can Ben do it this year? He still makes 1 or 2 seemingly unforced mistakes per game, and a better team will kill us with them. But maybe this is the year he becomes a superstar. Here's hoping.
Biggest surprise: CB Ike Taylor had fallen out of favor with head coach Bill Cowher after Taylor struggled with his confidence and his ability to defend the deep pass. Mike Tomlin has worked to build Taylor back up, and the result has been Taylor’s finest season to date.
Biggest disappointment: There haven’t been many to date, but the offensive line’s play at times — especially in pass protection — has left something to be desired. Another area of disappointment: The Steelers haven’t gotten much from rookie OLB Lawrence Timmons, their first-round pick.
Player to watch: When QB Ben Roethlisberger limits mistakes, the Steelers are ultratough at home and about as formidable a road team as there is in the league outside of Indianapolis, New England and Dallas. But when he’s bad, the Steelers look downright average. His development remains an issue that bears monitoring in the second half.
Team MVP: For the last two seasons, RB Willie Parker has been the Steelers’ workhorse back, and he’s relished the extra responsibility. He isn’t going to run anyone over, and he isn’t going to make highlight reels with his moves in the open field, but few backs hit the hole like he does, and few are as fast.
Fearless prediction: The most balanced team in the division, the Steelers will win the AFC North, even after having to face New England, Jacksonville and Baltimore in the season’s final month.
Not in Power Rankings--I think the popular #4 ranking is correct--but in NFL fan experience, as rated by Sports Illustrated.
I was unlucky to never see a Stiller game at Three Rivers, but I've seen a few at Heinz Field. It was a great experience--the awesomeness of both the food and the memorabilia of the Great Hall beats out the cheesiness of the Ketchup Bottle. You have to love the Visitors endzone being unmarked too. That's old school.
I've also seen a Ravens home game, and I have to admit that particular game was extremely exciting--the Ravens scored 14 unanswered points to tie in the last 5 minutes and beat the Seahawks in OT. However, the announcer played up every 3rd down by the Seahawks to get the crowd to make noise, which to me says that the Ravens don't trust their fans to "read and react" and make enough noise on their own.
Guess what: the Steelers do.
But will he do the same to experienced MMA fighters? Let's use this article for a point/ counterpoint:
Point:
While Slice has dominated almost every street fight he was in, the quality of most of his challengers is dubious and street fighting is not the same sport as MMA. His one loss came at the hands of Sean Gannon, a Boston police officer who trained in MMA and later went on to a very brief and rather unimpressive MMA career of his own.Counterpoint:
But Slice said he's turned the corner from loving the internet fame to being ready for the real deal. "In a backyard fight, I used to enter those things high," Slice said. "I was smoking before I went out to fight."
His training has also turned a corner: he has been training in MMA for the past two years and recently teamed up with two of the sport's top coaches -- Shawn Tompkins and MMA legend Bas Rutten. "Bas Rutten and Shawn Tompkins...swear by this guy's determination [and] swear by this guy's desire to learn, persevere, and succeed," said Luke Thomas, editor of the MMA blog BloodyElbow.com.But then, it probably doesn't even really matter, because of this:
While there are question marks about Slice's ability right now, there isn't much doubt about his drawing power. The prevailing wisdom is that, at least initially, Slice will be able to capitalize on his vast entertainment value. Mention Slice to industry insiders and the word "marketable" pops up in almost every conversation. He's the subject of the new ESPN show, E:60, and a hot topic with MMA fans ready to see if he's worth the hype.
In case you have been hiding under a rock or have been having nonstop sex with a Brazilian transsexual hooker in a crack den for the past 3 weeks, Sunday features a regular season matchup that truly is THE BEST GAME EVER!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Pats vs. Colts. Battle of UnBeatens. Heartthrob vs. HeadKnob. Saintly Coach vs. Devilish Coach. Fat Fuck Coaches vs Baby Faced Coach Impersonators (Seriously, this guy calls the plays for New England? Seriously?)
But the most important reason why this is the GREATEST GAME EVER BAR NONE is that Dr. Z has done a position by position breakdown, which he usually only does for the Super Bowl. So what does Dr. Z have to tell us that we don't know already?
The Colts offensive line, with the exception of one player and one game, has played together the whole season.For real? Guess what? The Steelers have a mediocre to crappy O-Line and they've played together all season too.
Wes Welker might be the greatest hot receiver, or blitz-control guy, who ever lived.Heady, heady praise for a kid who basically is a white Troy Brown, who did everything Welker has done, and more, and over more than 1.5 seasons. But the thing with Troy Brown? He wasn't hot enough. He doesn't look like Vince Vaughans retarded younger brother.
On Adalius Thomas: know they're very proud of themselves for grabbing an obvious Belichick-type Jack of all trades from the Baltimore system, and he'll make a key play here and there, but he'll disappear, too, as he did against the Skins.Did he even have to show up?
Vince Wilfork (75) Wild and a bit out of control when he first came into the league, he has become a master technician at the nose position.Let's see, do I have all my craftsman tools here? Massive meaty forearms? Check. Battering Ram of a Head? Check. Stubby Legs and Oceanic Ass That I Need a Customized Terlet for? Check. Bloated Belly that serves as a third leg? Check. All set then, you technician you.
I'm a little proud of this one, so I thought I'd post it to the SteelSkins site, as well as the Metcalf Up the Middle site. After all, this post stars Billy frickin' Zabka.
Since the SteelSkins have handed yet another loss to Metcalf Up the Middle, we thought we’d honor this occasion with some foreshadowing: Don’t worry NFL, the Steelers (once again) have got your backs.
What the dismal Browns (albeit, at 4-3 they’re not as dismal as they usually are) failed to do back in Week 5—what some pundits are now calling for—the Steelers sell in dime bags.
Yes, it’s about time we take the pundits seriously. Finally, people are calling for Tom Brady’s knees. And why not? Belichick and his cheating Patriots have now run up the score on all 8 of their opponents (what, with their fancy fake spikes and keeping their starters in despite a 42-point lead). And while Cleveland, along with the rest of the league, failed to do much of anything to their former coach while happily accepting their 34-17 defeat, the Pittsburgh Steelers have never failed to excel in the “accidental low hit” category.
You may ask, why the Steelers, and why not the Browns? Excellent question. And to be honest, we here at SteelSkins are equally stumped as to why the Browns’ veins, which normally flow with red vengeance toward the countless teams that have embarrassed them (insert Broncos, insert Steelers, insert Art Modell, insert…the league), why were those same veins flowing with pink pansy goodness during Week 5 against the Pats? The Brownies should have been foaming at the mouths for the opportunity to crush Tom Brady and give their former coach his first loss of the season. It just goes to show, if it’s Brown, flush it down.
The Steelers, on the other hand, proved two things this pre-season: 1. You don’t need a fatty named Kimo von Oelhoffen to put a quarterback’s season in jeopardy; and 2. Just like Charlie Hustle in an All-Star game, we always go all out.
So let this be a warning to you, Coach Belichick: If you keep up the shenanigans, you’ll pay a hefty price, come Week 14. A price not paid since Ralph Macchio last met up with Billy “Sweep the Leg” Zabka.
Week 9 is here! Let's see if the fellas from Metcalf Up the Middle can keep up this week. Here are our picks for Week 8:
wagnerav
DEN @ DET - DET
SF @ ATL - ATL
CIN @ BUF - CIN
CAR @ TEN - TEN
GB @ KC - Brett Favre
SD @ MIN - SD
JAX @ NO - NO
WAS @ NYJ - WAS
AZ @ TB - TB
SEA @ CLE - SEA
NE @ IND - IND
HOU @ OAK - HOU
DAL @ PHI - DAL
BAL @ PIT - PIT
Boss Hog
DEN @ DET - DET
SF @ ATL - ATL
CIN @ BUF - BUF
CAR @ TEN - TEN
GB @ KC - KC
SD @ MIN - SD
JAX @ NO - JAX
WAS @ NYJ - WAS
AZ @ TB - AZ
SEA @ CLE - CLE
NE @ IND - NE
HOU @ OAK - OAK
DAL @ PHI - DAL
BAL @ PIT - PIT
Sean
DEN @ DET - DEN
SF @ ATL - SF
CIN @ BUF - BUF
CAR @ TEN - CAR
GB @ KC - GB
SD @ MIN - SD
JAX @ NO - JAX
WAS @ NYJ - WAS
AZ @ TB - TB
SEA @ CLE - SEA
NE @ IND - NE
HOU @ OAK - HOU
DAL @ PHI - DAL
BAL @ PIT - PIT
Steelskins Victory Post at Metcalf Up the Middle
In the same vein, we have the most convincing argument yet for going "Gillooly" on Tom Brady: (hat tip: cnnsi.com)
Brad Imes, a heavyweight MMA fighter who lost out to Rashad Evans in the Ultimate Fighter 2 Finals (Evans is now a top contender at 205), has won his second fight via the very rare Gogoplata submission. Only a few fighers have won via gogoplata, and none back to back.
But the question remains about the quality of competition for Imes, who is fighting outside of the UFC, and when on TUF 2 was very raw, and quite possibly gay (see picture).
Apparently there are many versions of the gogoplata, and in the interests of full disclosure, SteelSkins brings you two of the most representative:
This is the gay version (which Imes may well have used):
And here is the Real Man's Gogoplata:
From Michael Wilbon's chat wrap on the Washington Post website:
Tom Brady's Knee: I can understand Bill Belichick's desire to crush every team in the NFL, but why keep your franchise QB in there to do it? One cheap shot helmet to the knee and it's goodbye Super Bowl unless Cassell suddenly gets good.
Michael Wilbon: You're absolutely right. And if I was on the opposing team, I'd hit Tom Brady with everything I had as late as I could and take the penalty and join the fight that would surely follow. Football is a violent game and there's got to be somebody out there sharpening his fans for the Patriots Golden Boy in the 4th quarter one of these weeks.
Stevensville, Md.: What are your thoughts about running up the score? In my opinion it's a teams job to put up points, not save their opponent from embarrassment. The Redskins' players are cashing million dollar paychecks just like the Patriots', so they have no one to blame but themselves for the blowout.
Michael Wilbon: Your thought is my thought. You want somebody not to run it up...don't let 'em. On the other hand, Belichick is a cheat and during games behaves with little class...If I was on the other side my goal would have been for Brady to be helped off the field, by whatever means necessary.
Arlington, Va.: Let me get this straight - you're suggesting blatantly trying to injure a player on the opposing team for no good reason other than you can't compete head-to-head. What kind of message are you trying to send?
Michael Wilbon: I'm saying football is a violent game and I believe in an eye for an eye. You think Sam Huff wouldn't have taken out Brady yesterday? And when I say "take out" I don't mean go for his knees; I mean a clean shot with every once of force one can summon...right in the strike zone. You think Butkus and LT and Bednarik would have stood for that stuff? No way. No chance.
This article from a while back tries to describe the secret of the Patriots success from a defensive standpoint--oft overlooked in the Patriots previous Super Bowl victories was that their offense, which was dangerous in the clutch mainly because the defense had kept it close through the 4th quarter.
What I didn't know, and what that article mentions, is the success that Belichick-coached Giants defenses had against Joe Montana. (you'd think this would have gotten mentioned once or twice over the 6 year period when Belichick owned Peyton Manning) Granted, it seems their favorite ploy was to knock him out of the game, but when the greatest QB ever struggles against Belichick, no matter how evil he is, or perhaps because of his evility, all QBs must BEWARE!!
Remember: Bill Belichick = Evil
Let's see how our picks for Week 8 stack up against those boys from Metcalf Up the Middle. We still owe them a post for kickin' their Brown asses in Week 7. Maybe Boss Hog should get on that one! Here are our picks for Week 8:
Boss Hog:
| SUN, OCT 28 | |
| Bears | |
| Bengals | |
| Dolphins | |
| Titans | |
| Vikings | |
| Browns | |
| Colts | |
| Jets | |
| Jags | |
| Chargers | |
| Saints | |
| Skins | |
| MON, OCT 29 | |
| Packers |
| SUN, OCT 28 | |
| Bears | |
| Steelers | |
| Giants | |
| Titans | |
| Vikings | |
| Browns | |
| Colts | |
| Jets | |
| Bucs | |
| Chargers | |
| Saints | |
| Pats | |
| MON, OCT 29 | |
| Broncos |
| SUN, OCT 28 | |
| Lions | |
| Steelers | |
| Giants | |
| Titans | |
| Eagles | |
| Browns | |
| Colts | |
| Bills | |
| Bucs | |
| Chargers | |
| Saints | |
| Pats | |
| MON, OCT 29 | |
| Broncos |
