Oct 31 2011

Five Awful Things That Happened This Weekend In Sports

5. Packers Had a Bye Week

I’m going to chalk it up to boasting too much last week, because my most awesome weekend in sports probably ever was followed by one of the worst. And my only certain team, the Green Bay Packers, the only team that could have lifted my spirits, didn’t even play this week.

4. Dallas Got Embarrassed

After a great showing against the Rams, the Cowboys let themselves get torn up by a struggling Eagles team. Philadelphia dominated on both sides of the ball; Michael Vick threw for two TDs, and LeSean McCoy easily reached 185 yards rushing. They looked like the dream team everyone was talking about in Week 1. Tony Romo….well, he looked like Tony Romo. 18 of 35 passes, one interception, and one touchdown, the lone score for Dallas.

3. Texas Tech Got Embarrassed At Home

It seems like every time Tech gets a number by their name, they immediately blow their chances of that number getting any smaller. I mean, I’ve seen the Red Raiders too high off a big win, but wow….what a lousy game. By the first quarter, I didn’t want to watch anymore. It was just pitiful. Iowa State owned us. Is it obligatory for us to pull off an unlikely win and lose what should be a given every season?

2. Game 7 Was the Nail In the Coffin

See number 1 for the night before, but after that heartbreak, I knew we didn’t have it in us. Wash was shaken, and he made bad decisions. Where was Feliz? Why start Harrison, who has been pitching like crap lately? With the exception of Pujols superhuman Game 3, we were either neck and neck or completely dominating the Cards throughout the series. But on the night that it counted, we phoned it in. Too easy of a win for an unlikely Wild Card team.

1. Game 6 Was Fun to Watch Until the Very End, Then It Hurt Like Hell

Everybody’s already saying this might be the most exciting World Series game ever, and I don’t disagree. For St. Louis, it’s fulfilling. For Texas, well, we were the reason it was so riveting, but not in a good way. We gave up one pitch, and it tied the game for extra innings. Next inning, we did it again. And it couldn’t go on forever. When Joe Buck declared with his usual insufferable snark, “We will see you tomorrow night,” I had a gut feeling it was already over. You can’t come back from a loss like that.

Bonus: The Tebow Hype Machine Settles Down…For Now

Apparently everyone forgot the Dolphins are the worst team in the NFL, or at least they did when Tim Tebow manufactured a comeback against them last week. Tebow was hailed as Denver’s saving grace, but lo and behold, he and his same old offensive line choked hard this weekend against the Detroit Lions. Tebow completed only 18 of 39, threw one TD, one interception, and was sacked seven times. The Broncos lost 45-10, so maybe that will shut everyone up for a while. At least until next week if they win against Oakland.


Oct 24 2011

Top Five Awesome (And One Overrated) Sports-Related Events This Weekend

5. Packers Beat Vikings

Just wanted to remind you guys my favorite team is still the only undefeated team in the league and Aaron Rodgers is a touchdown-throwing beast. 24 of 30 passes, three for TDs, and a mere 335 yards. Discount Double Check!

4. Cowboys Beat Rams

The story here isn’t the quarterbacks (although Romo certainly played better) but DeMarco Murray, who set a franchise record with 253 rushing yards. And while it should be a given to win against the Rams, it still was nice to see my second-favorite team, who have had their share of embarrassing losses this year, earn the W for this week.

3. Pujols Sets World Series Records (And I Was There!)

As crappy as it was watching the Rangers get stomped at home in Game 3, I can honestly say I was impressed with Albert Pujols three home runs. Afterwards I learned that is a World Series record shared only with Babe Ruth and Reggie Jackson. And I saw it happen in Rangers Ballpark. So that was pretty cool.

2. Holland Pitches Like a Champ (And Did I Mention I Was There?)

Of course it was even better being in the ballpark last night, as the key player of the night was Texas’ Derek Holland, who only allowed two hits and no runs in 8 and 1/3 innings. It’s because of Holland the series is all tied up, and hopefully it will be because of Wilson that we come ahead after tonight.

1. Texas Tech Wrecks Oklahoma in Norman, Shocks BCS

While watching the Rangers get beat, I moseyed into another office, and they happened to be showing the Texas Tech/OU game, which I was almost certain would not lift my spirits. Oh me of little faith; like the rest of the country, I was surprised to find my Red Raiders wrecking the Sooners after a lengthy weather delay. Even though it wasn’t the game I was attending, it did feel good to celebrate something Saturday night. And now we’re in the Top 25 for the first time since a little duo with the names of Harrell and Crabtree beat a guy named Colt McCoy back in 2008. I was pretty worried about this season, but after this away-game upset, who knows what this young TTU team is capable of? Should be a fun remainder of the season, and a promising one next year.

Bonus Overrated Event – Tim Tebow Wins Some Game For Broncos After Playing Like Crap For the Majority of It

In what was undoubtedly the worst NFL game of the week, one horrible team (Denver) played another (Miami), and the result was a low-scoring, punt-filled snooze fest worthy of napping through. Then, like the blessed pigskin messiah he is, Tebow decided to play football in the fourth quarter and started throwing passes that were in the general proximity of his intended receivers. Tebow racked up a not-so-dazzling thirteen completed passes for 161 yards. But of course he rallied his team to win, and I suppose that’s all that really matters in the NFL, but as they do, the media blew his performance way out of proportion. Lest we forget the other 45 minutes of the game where he played like crap; before everyone gets all crazy, let’s focus on the obvious fact that there is a lot of room for improvement. And the Dolphins still suck.