Wide Right: December 2009

12/17/2009

My Sports Moments of the Decade

So as I listen to the local and national shows this week, a lot of them are pulling out the moments of the decade. Everyone points to the moments after 9-11 and the games after that, and Jack Bucks poem.

I was lucky enough to be at Wrigley Field for the Cubs first home game after 9-11. It was an amazing experience. Something I won't forget. So as I said, nothing will ever top those moments, so I will leave those off my list. Below are my lists of my moments of the decade.

My #1 moment of the decade is something I really dont like to remember. 2003 NLCS. Game 6. 5 outs from the Cubs first World Series since 1945. Mark Prior, probably the best pitcher in 2003 in the NL is rolling. Cubs were up 3-0. 2 were on. Do I have to go on? Bartman happened. (this didn't lose the game for the Cubs). Then Alex Gonzalez, statistically the best SS in the NL in 2003, booted a sure double play ball. 8 runs later the Marlins won. Cubs lose game 7. And still we are all saying wait till next year. So close as for us Cubs fans we could smell it....and it was snatched away from us.

#2 for me is one I'd like to have a lot wrapped up in to. The 2002 Iowa Hawkeye football season was one for the books. Brad Banks led the Hawks to a 11-1 regular season, Big Ten Championship and Orange Bowl berth. The season was amazing. Great offense with our awesome line and Dallas Clark. The D was under rated among Iowa D's and then there's Nate Kaeding. Captain Kirk had lead the Hawks back to the top. And the best moment for me was the trip to Ann Arbor Michigan for the Iowa-Michigan game. Iowa hadn't won at Michigan since 1990. Hadn't beaten them since then. Well Iowa went into the Big House and gave the Wolverines their worse home loss in 35 years! Hawks 34-9. If it weren't for a long 40 yard run by QB John Navarre, the Wolverines would have been held with negative rushing yards. Along with the game, the trip there with Mike, Westy & Harmon was classic.

#3 for me is also one I could wrap up a season into one, but the best moments for me from the Chicago Bears 2006 NFC Championship run were the Monday Night Game in Arizona. And then the NFC Championship game vs the Saints.

The Monday Night game gave the NFL world "Crown their ass!". The Bears and Rex Grossman looked horrible. The offense had been rolling, the defense dominating and Devin Hester blowing up in his rookie year. But the Cards and Matt Leinart were killing the Bears. Then Brian Urlacher stripped a ball and it was ran in for a score. Mark Anderson caused a sack fumble that was returned, and Devin Hester topped it with a punt return for 6. A miss by Neil Rackers and the Bears had a comeback win for the ages!

Then the NFC Championship game. The Saints were the "IT" story. Had Heisman winner and rookie Reggie Bush, and had just beat the Eagles. The Bears went to OT with the Seahawks and everyone was picking the Saints to go into Soldier and win. But just like in the 1985 NFC Title Game. The snow started to fall, and the Bears started to roll!

What are yours?

12/16/2009

Big Ten + 2?

So there is the talk and debate heating up now (thanks Barry Alvarez) of the Big Ten adding a 12th team and adding a championship game. Alvarez feels like a lot of the media, that the Big Ten is irrelevant the weekend before Thanksgiving. He is right. The publicity for the conference is about 0 when the SEC, Big XII and ACC are hosting title games and the Pac 10 is playing into the first weekend in December.

So the talk is….who should it be?

The obvious choice is Notre Dame. Notre Dame is actually taking a pay cut being on NBC compared to the Big Ten Network. How exclusive is that deal now? The Irish could have national broadcasts on the BTN, ESPN, ESPN2, and ABC. Better known outlets for college football. And if the Irish join the conference, how many more cable providers will want the BTN? Then there is the bowl situation, a 6-6 Big Ten team gets the Alamo/Champs or Insight Bowl in Arizona or Florida or Texas. A 6-6 Irish team has to wait it out and get options of the Pizza Pizza Bowl in Detroit? And next year the Big Ten takes away another option from the Irish taking the Gator Bowl away from the Big East. That’s 5+ new years day options for the Big Ten to play on Jan 1 or later. Easy choice, they are in the Big Ten footprint, they are irrelevant until they fire a coach. Join the Big Ten!
Notre Dame NBC Money

After the Irish sit on their high horse and decline the conference invite, the next choice should be Nebraska. The Huskers are getting crapped on by the Big XII. The Big XII has terrible tv deals, terrible bowl options and only care about 2 teams. The LongHorns and Sooners are like the Yankees and Redsox. It all flows through them. The Huskers joining would revitalize their football program and start new rivalries with Iowa, Wisconsin, Michigan & Ohio State.

The next would be Missouri. They bring in 2 big television markets. St Louis and Kansas City. They are in the region, would have natural rivalries with Iowa & Illinois. They like Nebraska are good academic institutions (yes there is more than just sports involved in these decisions)

Finally I would look at Rutgers. They would be able to for a natural grouping with Penn State. A really good academic institution. And well if you look at money, there is the New York/New Jersey television market. Hello more cable providers and tv sets for the Big Ten Network.

So who should it be? It should be the Irish, but we know that won’t happen, so it should be Nebraska!

Your thoughts? React America!

Big Ten Expansion Talk

Big Ten + 2?

12/15/2009

Best Video Game Athletes....EVER

Since the game Pong with the right and left paddle, the gaming sport on home entertainment systems debate of who is better started. You had Ten Yard Fight and Boxing on NES. Then came an explosion of games. Tecmo Bowl, SNK Baseball Stars, RBI Baseball, Tyson’s Punch out on to Madden, NBA2K and Tiger Woods Golf and the Blitz Series. But who’s been the best? Bias comes in to the games you played and the sports you like. Here are my 3 all time greats. And they come from one of the first generations of gaming systems.

#1--Bo Jackson on Tecmo Bowl.

#34 in silver and black was the man to beat, and the man to be on one of the best football games EVER. If you didn’t select his run every play, you had the chance of getting ran over and seeing him in the end zone soon. It also made the other 3 plays increasingly effective too. If you were the Raiders, if you didn’t select that play at least ½ the time, you need a new offensive coordinator! Even though you know the D will pick that play, Bo was so good he could still break through and bust a long run. Bo is the gold standard in video game athletes.

#2--Mike Tyson – Tyson’s Punch Out.

How many times have you entered the cheat code (007 373 5963) to fight Tyson only to have Little Mac’s dreams dashed in a mere 3 jabs from the Champ and a resulting TKO? He was destructive, ferocious, he’d eat your ear if he could. But if you had the game you all tried, many times! Sometimes you’d miss getting an upper cut and be able to get 2 or 3 shots in. But to score a victory you’d have to do this every time for all 3 rounds. Like I said, if you had this game you had the cheat code written down. Tyson was a challenge to get to through Tyson Honda, Soda Popinski and King Hippo, but 90% of the time Little Mac wouldn’t be able to beat the Champ.

#3--Babe – SNK Baseball Stars

A not as well known game compared to its counterpart and MLB licensed RBI Baseball, SNK was a take on sports games that would blow up in the next gens. Creating a team/players and increasing attributes by winning and earning cash. The first dynasty style game? Well the Babe played for the power team American Dreams who had other players like Pete, Willie, Hank and Cy. But Babe was the best. He had the stick to hit shots yard, This game was one of the first where you could rob homers and climb the wall to do so.

The newer systems have had some good players too. Devin Hester on Madden with 100 speed on PS3/360. The shooting guard for UNC on NCAA Basketball on SNES. Little Mac on Tyson’s Punch Out. Star Man on Pro Wrestling.

What are your thoughts?

Best Movie of the Decade

In the next 3 weeks the decade 2000-2009 will come to an end, so lots of media outlets, web sites, TV and radio shows are coming out with their best of the decade in all categories. Thought I’d throw it out on here too.

So the decade saw a lot of great movies. Gladiator, A Beautiful Mind, American Psycho, No Country for Old Men, Wedding Crashers, Old School, and the Departed. My best movie of the decade is none of those. My best movie is something that would have won an Oscar had it not had been based on a comic. The story was great, the acting great, scenes and everything.

The best movie of the decade is DARK KNIGHT.

Heath Ledger caps of his career magnificently as the Joker. One would think it’s hard to top Jack Nicholson’s Joker from 1989, but Ledger did. If you’ve seen this, how could you not take your eyes of him. He was engrossed in the role. He was a psychopath, maniac, and dark….exactly what the Joker is. The rest of the cast is great. Bale is the best Batman since Michael Keaton, maybe better. The casting of Morgan Freeman as Lucious Fox and Michael Caine as Alfred are excellent. Harvey Dent didn’t need to die in the movie, maybe expand on his character a bit, but tying him in and the turn was good. Maggie Gheylenhal taking over for Katie Holmes might have been the only drop off but doesn’t affect the movie.

If you haven’t seen it and are just reading this, you may have been spoiled a bit, but if you haven’t seen it…GO SEE IT!

Honorable Mention:
The Departed
A Beautiful Mind
Gladiator

12/13/2009

GFR Computer Ranking - Dec 13th

1. Texas
2. TCU
3. Alabama
4. Boise State
5. Florida
6. Cincinnati
7. Oregon
8. Ohio State
9. Virginia Tech
10. Pittsburgh
11. Penn State
12. Iowa
13. Georgia Tech
14. Wisconsin
15. BYU
16. Miami
17. LSU
18. West Virginia
19. Oregon State
20. Utah

GFR Computer Ranking - Dec 13th

12/06/2009

2009 Cutler Award - National Coach of the Year

In the 2009 college football season, Patterson led the Horned Frogs to a perfect 12-0 season record, a Mountain West Conference Championship, a #4 BCS season-ending ranking, and an invitation to the 2010 Fiesta Bowl.

2009 - Gary Patterson - TCU
2008 - Mike Leach - Texas Tech
2007 - Mark Mangino - Kansas
2006 - Greg Shiano - Rutgers
2005 - Joe Paterno - Penn State
2004 - Urban Myer - Utah
2003 - David Cutcliffe - Mississippi
2002 - Kirk Ferentz - Iowa
2001 - Mike Bellotti - Oregon

12/05/2009

GFR Computer Ranking - Dec 6th

12/04/2009

Frost Nixon

Interesting movie. I wasn't alive for the whole Nixon/Watergate thing. Only got to learn about it in school books that can "teach" it how they want to teach it. Of course the movies are Hollywooded up. But it shows Nixon in a light of trying to dig out of the hole he created and get back to prominancy. David Frost in the last set puts pressure on him. Interesting to hear Nixon's view and thoughts. We learn from Star Wars that's ones views are greatly dependent on their point of view. Interesting to see his point of view.

And how Frank Langella didn't get an Oscar for this is absurd!

2009 Staker Award National Defensive Player of the Year

The Preseason was filled with hype of Tebow, Bradford and McCoy. Thrown in there was Jimmy Claussen and Terrelle Pryor and the Matt Barkley hype at USC. The top defensive stars returning were Brandon Spikes from Florida's defense. Eric Berry, the best DBack in the nation at Tennessee. Also returning from an injury plagued 2008 was DL George Selvie from South Florida. And then there was Ndamukong Suh, returning the black shirts to the Nebraska D.

The 2009 Staker Defensive Player of the Year Award goes to the Huskers amazing defensive lineman. Along with the Staker Award Suh took home the Bo Carter Award for Big XII Player of the Year Award. He was in backfields as much as most offensive backs. A highlight reel of plays all year long. 70 tackles, 16 for loss of a total of 70 yards, 7.5 sacks, a fumble caused and interception. Certain to be a top 3 pick next year, this Husker still has 2 more games left, the Big XII Title game vs Texas and the Huskers Bowl Game.

Past Winners
2009-Ndamukong Suh-DL-Nebraska
2008-Rey Maualuga-LB-USC
2007-George Selvie-DL-South Florida
2006-James Laurinitus-LB-Ohio State
2005-AJ Hawk-LB-Ohio State
2004-David Pollack-LB-Georgia
2003-Teddy Lehman-LB-Oklahoma
2002-Terrell Suggs-DL-Arizona State
2001-Roy Williams-S-Oklahoma

2009 Bo Carter Award Big XII Player of the Year

When the 2009 Season started, the focus was in the league was on quarterbacks Colt McCoy from Texas and Sam Bradford (the reigning Heisman winner) from Oklahoma, and Zac Robinson of Oklahoma State and Robert Griffin of Baylor.

Bradford went down in the first game vs BYU, Griffin blew out his knee and Zac Robinson wasn't as good as 2008 after he lost Dez Bryant. Colt McCoy started out slow and picked it up late. But all year long though the South had an offensive explosion, the Defense was a star up North with the 2009 Bo Carter Award winner.

Ndamukong Suh, the D-lineman from Nebraska was a terror all year long. He was in backfields as much as most offensive backs. A highlight reel of plays all year long. 70 tackles, 16 for loss of a total of 70 yards, 7.5 sacks, a fumble caused and interception. Certain to be a top 3 pick next year, this Husker still has 2 more games left, the Big XII Title game vs Texas and the Huskers Bowl Game.

Past Winners
2009-Ndamukong Suh-DL-Nebraska
2008-Colt McCoy-QB-Texas
2007-Chase Daniel-QB-Missouri
2006-Rufus Alexander-LB-Oklahoma
2005-Vince Young-QB-Texas
2004-Adrian Peterson-RB-Oklahoma
2003-Jason White-QB-Oklahoma
2002-Brad Smith-QB-Missouri
2001-Eric Crouch-QB-Nebraska

Night at the Museum 2

You don't mess with Abe Lincoln! It was a decent entertaining movie, not as good on a whole as the first movie. Didn't care for the Bird Men mystic part. Liked the Oscar the Grouch and Darth Vader sequence. Ben Stiller was ok. Owen Wilson was ok too. Amy Adams thought was the best in the movie. The riding the squirrel was funny too by Octavius. And so was the Thinking Man. Overall the 1st was better, this had a lot more historic characters in it, maybe a few too many. I'm sure there will be a 3rd that will introduce more.

12/03/2009

Terminator Salvation

Nice ties back to the first 3 movies. Lot of guns and explosions. And more cyborgs. Thought Christian Bale used some of his "Batman voice" as John Connor, but he was ok as the resistance leader. Liked the Marcus Wright character too and his interactions with Kyle Reese. It was entertaining and think that the ties to the past 3 movies and the story line here set up another movie and maybe 2. SPOILER-so don't read on if you don't want to. Part of me thinks John Connor's human body is dead and his brain was transplanted to the cyborg Marcus to keep the resistance going instead of the cyborgs heart going to John's body.

12/02/2009

BCS or Playoff?

So you want a playoff? Have you watched the past few weeks of college football? Now I’m a BCS hugger, I think it gets to political, and there is too much bias with the human polls. There needs to be a football RPI poll that is used similarly to what the NCAA tournament selection committee uses to determine the at-large teams.

But in college football the past few weeks, all major conferences have been a playoff or will come to a playoff this weekend. First, in the Big Ten Iowa and Ohio State played off for the Big Ten BCS bid and the Rose Bowl. The Pac-10 has had Arizona, Stanford, USC and the 2 Oregon schools going at it the past 3-4 weeks knocking each other around, and it will come to an end Thursday night in the Civil War when Oregon State goes to Oregon. Winner to the Rose Bowl. The Big East, Cincinnati and Pittsburgh battle for the Big East this Saturday. Then there are the 3 Championship games. Yes #1 vs #2 in the SEC. Texas is unbeaten but still has to win the conference championship game vs Nebraska to secure a Championship Game Bid. And then ACC has Georiga Tech and Clemson facing off this week after both teams lost rivalry games the week before.

If you really look at it, there has been a playoff. It may not be a bracket you can fill out and have an office pool on. The games have played out. Should there be an actual playoff? I wouldn’t mind seeing it, but I love the bowls (well most of them), but put them all back on January 1st. Get rid of about 10-14 of them.

So for those who want a playoff, enjoy the Civil War battle on Thursday and then the championship games on Saturday. Then after that let the frustration and politicking begin.

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