So Buffalo Fans Start to get IT?

After Buffalo's humiliating loss to San Fran this week, it seems that the overly optimistic media have finally got the hint.

THE YEAR WAS NOT THE YEAR!

My goodness, year in and year out, it's always "our year", as if the lack of a proper offensive line, a strong quarterback, key offensive weapons and a defense not riddled with impact player injuries have ever changed the team appearance on paper. Despite on person from my college paper proclaiming that Edwards, Lynch and Evans were the Kelly, Thomas and Reed 2.0 version, this team was in no shape or form better.

While Lynch is a strong running back, Evans and Edwards are no way comparable to the statistical but also cultural impact Kelly and Reed placed on the Buffalo fan base. Sure, replica jerseys are easier to acquire, but those guys cannot carry Kelly's or Reed's jockey straps.

This team was 5-1 for a reason... they played no one. Hell, they trailed against a horrendous St. Louis team. The Rams couldn't beat a cold, but for some reason, the almighty Buffalo Bills needed the second half to claim the lead. It wasn't even the offense who pitched in there. The defense spurred the momentum as the offense chugged along like a battered V6 engine on a worn Chrysler sedan, barely keeping afloat.

Hopefully fans will get the message. As we have mentioned here before, Sal's 401K is unbiased, but Bills fans are so annoying and led by blind faith that they fail to realize how horrible their team really is. This is a wake up call to them.

It's a tough week for New York Sports fans

The winner of the American League MVP is...

DUSTIN PEDROIA of Boston!

That's right, the most valuable player award does go to Pedroia and he deserves it. Contrary to what most people out in Rochester think, this kid is worth the talk and the awards.

Despite starting off weak at the plate in his rookie year in 2007, he worked his game into a frenzy hitting for average and securing the number two spot in the powerful Sox line up. Oh and he came up to the plate and delivered in the crucial moments ('07 ALCS, anyone?). He didn't have a soph slump, he built on it, playing the same game and earned the votes, more so than Morneau who, despite me liking his game, didn't deserve to win a few years back (Didn't the catcher on his team win the batting title?).

Yankee fans hate the fact he won the Rookie of the Year, hoping someone like Joba (with really no realistic experience) would win it. Even though Joba had no chance in hell, Yanks fans thought he was a front runner.

Yankee fans also hate Pedroia because he plays for Boston and earns more praise than Robbie Cano. Yes, that guy who only hits and fields worse than Jose Offermann. Let me replay the texting between the Sal Board of Chairmen after the announcement of Pedroia's win.

Me: Congrats to Pedroia from Bip Roberts or anyone who was short and played in the middle of the infield, even Kirby Puckett is smiling down from heaven.

Zooperstars: Mark McLemore is crying

Me: While still playing for the Orioles

Zooperstars: At age 52

Me: Starting, but then again he's better than Cano

Zooperstars: (Silent agreement)

God, he sucks at defense... something Pedroia knows how to do.

Then again its great knowing he won the MVP especially since Derek Jeter, the still a heart throb/despite being thirty shortstop hasn't won it and lost to Morneau. That year, according to Yanks fans, they owed it to Jeter for years of service.

Pardon me, this isn't the Academy Awards where honor is placed to someone who hasn't won one and give them a b-s award. This is baseball! Not The English Patient (which was so boring, I'm glad they killed him).

Sal Sez: "I hated that movie too! He deserved to die, he earned it!"

The World Series and Weather: A Mighty Conflict

So the make-up for the rest of Game 5... will not be seen tonight, as the entire East Coast is being soaked with wet weather.

In a related note, weather turns really crappy when it gets close to November.

So why in the world are we still playing baseball. Don't get me wrong, I love baseball, but when then wind is howling and the temperature is dipping well below 50 degrees, the last thing I want is baseball. Though, due to Bud and his brilliant idea to create the Divisional Series, baseball is pushed so long into Fall it finishes damn near winter. Taking a look at some of the teams competiting the last few years in the Series (Boston, Philly, Colorado), these games have to compete with the elements. While Tampa is much warmer and of course domed, half of the series will be played in the harsh Northeast.

We need to go back to the old days when the World Series was decided before Columbus Day or better yet before the last week of election campaigns.

I hate to say it, but this world series sucks

Tonight the Phillies and Rays, tied at 1-1, will battle for advantage in the world series. The problem, nobody cares. I can name off the top of my head the last 60 world champions, but even I have found myself in and out of this series.
The games have been close, but not too exciting. There are no great storylines or contraversey. There is no ill-will or bad blood. Its a battle between an expansion team, whos crowd looks like a bunch of homeless people grabbed off the street and given Rays jerseys so it looks good on TV and a team who has about six fans outside of the city of Philidelphia.
Why is it that the AL and NL championships series' have been way better than the world series for the last five seasons.
2004, Red Sox legendary comeback against the Yankees from down 3-0 and in the NL, Jim Edmonds game winning home run in game 7 to send the cards to the series. Pure baseball magic. Then we get to the series, the Cardinals don't show up and its a 4-0 sweep....BORING.
2005- Astros shock the Cardinals, despite Albert Pujols ruining Brad Lidge's Astro career with a game winning blast that likely landed in the Pacific Ocean. The world series? Another sweep. UGH.
2006- Carlos Beltran freezes on a 3-2 curveball with the winning runs on base in the bottom of the ninth in game 7. Catcher Yadier Molina hit the game winning home run. A gripping series. World series? Tigers pitchers fail to be able to throw to first base and Cards win easy. Lowest rated series in history...until 07
2007- Another magical Red Sox comeback. Down 3-1 to the Indians, they claw back, inspired by a JD Drew grand slam and beat Sabathia and Carmona to win 4-3 in 7. World series? ANOTHER FLOP. 4-0, Rockies never show up and things get pathetic.

My only hope is that Phils-Rays goes 7 and either Carlos Pena or Jimmy Rollins hits a series-winning walk off home run in a 17-16 game that includes 12 home runs, 8 stolen bases, 5 hit-by-pitches, two brawls and a bat boy getting trapped under the field tarp, only to be saved by Lassie. Maybe that make the 2008 world series worth watching.

The Browns have a defense?

So this morning I wake up. I turn on crappy over-the-air broadcast TV. I have my morning ritual of tea (for the vocal cords) and Wheaties (Breakfast of the Unemployed Broadcaster). After I scratch my groin for a few minutes I receive a text. It's from my buddy and Cowboy fan Ed. Apart from talking to him while he suicidally watched the Cardinals win on Sunday he was uplifted by last night's game. Side note: A game I cannot see because of my lack of cable. Thank you ESPN... f*cking bastards!

The text read:

"When did the Browns learn how to play football? A big thank you to whoever taught them."

Yes the once Mighty Cleveland Browns beat the New York football Giants. This will end my APB for their defenses return.

Browns to win Super Bowl? (said with exaggerated upward inflection)

I guess Furcal is not that hurt.

So while watching Game 4 of the NLCS, I thought for a second... man this Furcal guy is pretty good. He had this nagging back all year, was on the roster, off the roster, had rehab, rehab failed, had surgery then begged Torre to put him on the roster.

Wow, talk about having a questionable decision work out so well. Furcal is magic right now for the Dodgers. Apart from blowing that throw in Game 1 to let Victorino on base and ultimately tie the game on the Utley home run, Furcal has been the most dangerous player on the LA team. Well, this Manny guy, who Boston fans should not whine about, is tearing the cover off of baseball and Jamie Moyer's life. Regardless, Furcal is that spark plug player that Philadelphia has in Jimmy Rollins.

Speaking of Rollins, has anyone seen him. He entered last night with nothing to show for and finally relaxed and opened up on a few pitches.

If Furcal keeps playing like this and the Dodgers go all the way, I would see him as a dark horse to win the MVP.

Bitch, Bitch, Bitch!!!

Texas – Oklahoma

I guess the Longhorns - a Sooners game is a big deal. I do not know why since, being from Ohio, there is only one Big Game and its Ohio State – Michigan.

Any who, this was a crucial match up not only between rivals and Big XII competitors but also because it was the first ranked Sooners against the number five Longhorns. It was a great game that showed why Colt McCoy is a great field general and leader on the field, but you would not have really known of that.

This game was marred by the over powering judgment of Brent Musburger. Three plays highlighted the game and most of them were not the “blown call of the century”, as Brent would have put it. It was not Garcia calling a home run over Tony Tarasco or the Tuck Rule.

First play was Oklahoma’s first touchdown, a pass where the tackle happened at the goal line, but the lineman called the ball in the endzone for a score. Brent did not think so. Kirk Herbstreit thought it was a close play and the official review was not used to rule otherwise.

The second play was an interception by Leon Robinson called an incomplete pass in the endzone. The replay did show that Robinson had the ball in his possession and dropped it in celebration (this was the drive following a fake punt that failed). However the played stood and allowed Texas to kick a field goal. Brent was really not amused because of his hatred of the referees for the whole game.

The final play of Referee’s Death Wish starring Brent Musburger was running in the kicker call against Texas. Here Knall was knocked down and stayed down, holding his left leg, inciting flag. Musburger really hated this call and Kirk backed him up on it. The former Buckeye QB reasoned that the flags be replaced with yellow cards, turning the game into football.

While all these plays were happening, causing Brent to urge the world to murder the officials, burn down their houses with their families in them and killing their pets… he could have instead acted like a professional and not lay it on the authorities on the field.

See in broadcasting school (myself a recent graduate) the announcer is not supposed to attack the officials. Officials, meaning those on the field or in the booth working the video replays, but no, it’s easier for Brent Musburger to attack the officials working a critical game of the year for both schools.

This was a great game as Texas trailed the first half and made a strong comeback in the second half before putting it away 45-35. If Brent would have been really watching the game, the critical turning point was not the blown calls but rather the decision by Bob Stoopes to have a fake punt run by Knall which led to points for Texas. This really helped push the Longhorns into a positive momentum swing to take the lead and then the win.

Kids, next time Brent Musburger starts whining about the rules and officials just remember, Ed Hochuli is lifting weights waiting for a chance to confront him.