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 Friday, September 19 |
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Extra Point/ESPN Sportsbeat for Sept. 1-15, 2003 Wingo: Baby, even the losers Cohn: Pearls from Holtz FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, 2003 Extra Point -- Linda Cohn (morning): "You know what we don't hear enough? Examples of the wonderful senses of humor coming out of the mouths of college football head coaches. Take South Carolina's Lou Holtz. Before last week's game against Virginia, Holtz was asked what he thought his chances were for an upset. The bespectacled quipster shot back, 'Chances for an upset are as good as that stripper's chances of winning the governor's race in California.' Guess Cali residents should brace themselves; Holtz's Gamecocks went on to shock Virginia 31-7. This week, when Holtz was asked if South Carolina can stay unbeaten and upset Georgia this Saturday, Holtz replied, 'I think there's a better chance of us rescheduling the game than there is winning it.' See what I mean about Lou? It's not only refreshing but highly entertaining when Holtz finally hangs up his headset. I think the man has a tremendous future in standup comedy or, at the very least, a daytime talk show." Extra Point -- Pedro Gómez (afternoon): "With the Oscar de la Hoya-Shane Mosely fight on tap for Saturday night in Las Vegas, a familiar name is sure to resurface. Félix Trinidad will be sitting at his home in Puerto Rico, where he has been for the better part of a year since retiring. He undoubtedly will be watching this intriguing matchup. Trinidad, the former middleweight and welterweight champion who abruptly walked away from the fight game at the tender age of 29, is one of only two boxers to beat the golden boy, de la Hoya. It's a point that still sticks in de la Hoya's side, so much so that de la Hoya met over dinner with Trinidad recently to try and talk him out of retirement. The on-going talk from those inside the ring is that Trinidad is simply waiting for his contract with Don King to expire, supposedly either in 2004 or '05. Trinidad's only loss was to Bernard Hopkins. Maybe Hopkins could head down to the island and convince Trinidad to fight again. You can bet that Hopkins would have de la Hoya as his corner man, ready to help in any manner available." SportsBeat -- Brent Musburger from Ann Arbor, Mich. (afternoon): "Surprisingly, the Michigan Wolverines are a double-digit favorite here at 'The Big House' tomorrow to beat Notre Dame. Aren't these the same Fighting Irish who again responded in dramatic fashion under second-year coach Ty Willingham last week? They came from way behind to catch Washington State, then beat the Cougars in overtime. The Fighting Irish have won 11 of 14 starts under Willingham, so I asked him if he was surprised to be going in as a big underdog, and he licked his chops. I can just hear him giving this team the 'No one gives us a chance' speech while 100,000 fans are screaming outside the Irish locker room, but will motivation be enough to stop Michigan running back Chris Perry, who's already run for more than 400 yards the first two games this season? I've been around a lot of Michigan-Notre Dame games, and I've always seen them as real neighborhood donnybrooks. Close. Tight. Great plays. Big turnovers. Memorable finishes. This looks to me to be no exception. The Irish and Wolverines tee it up at 3:30 Eastern on ABC. "The prime-time game tomorrow at 8 Eastern on ABC could get bloody when 18th-ranked Nebraska hosts Penn State. The renowned 'Black Shirt' defense in Lincoln, was ridiculed last season as the 'Black Skirts.' They gave up 40 points in Happy Valley as they were embarrassed in front of a national TV audience last fall, but do not expect a repeat here. Joe Paterno's offense is very, very average at best without a strong line and his NFL first-rounder -- running back Larry Johnson. This has payback and blowout written all over it. "What figured to be the marquee game at noon Eastern on ABC has taken a bashing at both ends. Third-ranked Ohio State was way off in slipping past San Diego State. Without Maurice Clarett, the Bucks had only 10 first downs and no offensive touchdowns. Meanwhile, North Carolina State was caught dreaming about Columbus when they were whacked by a Wake Forest team picked to finish near the bottom of the ACC." Davis: When sports helped the healing THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 11, 2003 Extra Point -- Rece Davis (morning): "Two years ago today, in the middle of pennant races, with huge football clashes looming in the weekend ahead, sports basically stopped. In the horrifying wake of the Sept. 11 tragedy, we put sports in its proper compartment of our lives. In following days sports became a healing vehicle, a chance to bond with fellow Americans. Even now, seventh-inning stretches no longer seem like extra time to hit the concession stands. Today games will go on as normal. For the most part, tributes will be quieter, more subdued. For many, life seems much the same as it was before 9/11. We know things aren't the same. The tinge of doubt when there's a power outage at a game, as there was in Seattle on Wednesday night. The sense of relief when no sinister cause is found. Perhaps one of the best ways to pay tribute today is to debate the NL Central or argue vociferously over the Red Sox and Yankees. Just like normal, even if it never really will be -- at least not on this day." Extra Point -- Shelley Smith (afternoon): "The Eagle County district attorney doesn't want the woman accusing Kobe Bryant of rape to have to appear at next month's preliminary hearing, because it would 'result in anxiety and intimidation to the victim.' Granted, most sexual-assault victims are not required to appear until the trial, and all the D.A. really needs to establish at the hearing was that a crime was committed and that Bryant was in the area. He argues that the defense, which has subpoenaed the alleged victim, merely wants to hear her story only to try and trip her up along the way to prove inconsistencies during the trial. That's true, but if Mark Hurlbert is so sure he has a winnable case, why not put her on the stand? Why not show the strength behind what he says he has? The young woman's emotional stability has already been called into question, and if Hurlbert is to win this case, he needs to refute the idea. And in all fairness to Bryant, whose reputation has already been irreparably damaged, the person who has done that -- rightly or not-- should not be allowed to hide behind a squashed subpoena?" SportsBeat -- Brent Musburger from ESPN Zone, Las Vegas, Nev. (afternoon): "With their dominating defensive performance in Philadelphia Monday, the Super Bowl-champion Tampa Bay Buccaneers proved conclusively they are the No. 1 team in the NFL. What's not so clear is who's No. 2 and who's No. 3. A sleeper game Sunday in Kansas City may yield us an answer. The Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers square off in a game that could define the AFC's best. The key to this game may be a player listed as doubtful, and that's linebacker Joey Porter. You'll recall Porter was shot in the right thigh in a Labor Day weekend drive-by in Denver. Porter is the perfect player for Cowher, who made his mark as a conservative, run-first, defensive coach. But this is the same Bill Cowher who saved his job by joining the modern-day, NFL trend to throw first. The Steelers are running a West Coast-style offense around reborn quarterback Tommy Maddox, and this figures to be a 60-point shootout at Arrowhead. The winner steps up as the team to beat in the AFC. "Conventional wisdom says the stunned Miami Dolphins will rebound Sunday against the injury-riddled New York Jets, but let me point out one very significant fact: The Jets play the Dolphins extremely tough at Giants Stadium, having defeated them the last five times the ''Fins' have visited. Vinny Testaverde figures to be much more efficient than he was in the opener at Washington. Remember, he'd taken only 21 snaps during the preseason. Let's also not forget the Jets got an extra three days' rest. That will help the entire team. "Here's my stunner of the week. I give the Cincinnati Bengals -- yes, the Bengals -- a nod over the Oakland Raiders. Let me repeat: The Raiders are an aging club on the decline. They also could be looking ahead to their Monday night showdown against Denver in Week 3. And even though he lost last week, new Bengals coach Marvin Lewis made Jake Plummer look very bad." Scott: A cheer for Joe WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 10, 2003 Extra Point -- Stuart Scott (morning): "I am a man, I've been a football player, and I'm a father. I know the ego and patience involved in being all three. I know the insecurities men feel but hate to admit. I know the joy and sense of accomplishment in catching a great pass. I also know how that feeling pales in comparison to the completeness you feel holding your child, the intensity of a love you can't even explain, how the heart aches when you sit up all night with your child as she lies in a hospital bed -- and that's just for pneumonia. Imagine Bucs wide receiver Joe Jurevicius feels. Monday night he made one of the best catches ever, scored two TDs and can't fully enjoy it. Jurevicius' 2-month-old son died earlier this year. While Joe was winning a Super Bowl ring, his son was in the hospital putting up a hell of a good fight he would later lose. To play a sport you love, to excel at it, all the while carrying around the insecurity, the love, the hollowness of losing God's greatest gift. Do something this season: cheer for Joe Jurevicius." Extra Point -- Jay Mariotti (afternoon): "The last thing Maurice Clarett needs in his troubled life is more trouble, but that is what he'll invite if he hires a battalion of lawyers, takes the NFL to court and tries to topple the league's stance against early entry. Oh, after a year or two of fighting, he'd surely win the lawsuit in a right-to-work nation, but ultimately, he would lose in the eyes of league executives who already view him as a high-risk problem child after his various off-the-field and academic indiscretions. The best advice I've heard, surprisingly enough, comes from NFL great Jim Brown. Rather than raise hell, he has calmly suggested Clarett take some time to grow up at a school like Grambling, where coach Doug Williams, an African-American pioneer, could teach a young man about life and responsibility. Whatever happens, Clarett should wait his turn to enter the NFL. If he thinks the punishment is harsh now, just wait until his legal challenge mysteriously turns into a career blackballing." SportsBeat -- Brent Musburger from ESPN Zone, Las Vegas, Nev. (afternoon): "Preferential treatment on an exam. Exaggerating the value of what was stolen from his car. He can practice, but he can't play. Then he can't be at practice, after all. Three games. Six games. The whole season. He'll challenge the NFL. He'll play in Canada. He'll transfer to Youngstown State. Or Grambling. The city attorney says his lie is a misdemeanor. His coach says he's done for the year -- probably. Where does it end for Maurice Clarett? The stories have been swirling for weeks, and there's precious little that's concrete about his future. One thing's for sure: I feel very badly for him. No, I'm not condoning his lying about what was or wasn't taken from that car, but is that really the reason Ohio State is turning its back on a 19-year-old who meant more to the school economically than any other student -- perhaps ever? Yes, urge Clarett to accept his punishment, but then let him come back and play. He lied, and he made a mistake, but since when is that a capital crime? A few games suspended? Of course. Deny him eligibility for a whole year? Perhaps. Isn't this the same program that has forgiven numerous other low crimes and misdemeanors with minimal suspensions? Part of the growing-up process is learning from your mistakes. Shouldn't a university -- The Ohio State University -- take an active role in teaching that lesson? One more thing, though, folks. Don't you think there's got to be more -- a whole lot more -- to this story? We haven't heard the whole story yet. "Could the Chicago White Sox actually be poised to sweep their showdown with the Minnesota Twins? They're halfway their after last night's victory gave them a two-game division lead. At a time when we're looking for someone to get hot in these tight races, the Sox have done just that, winning 15 of their last 20, and they've turned into the Twins' biggest nightmare, winning their last six head-to-head confrontations. And just think: These two teams have four games against one another after tonight."
Schaap: Second City's first-rank ambitions "What seemed more unlikely in life? The fact the Cubs are still at the top of the NL Central, or the fact that the latest chapter in their 'Hunt for October' is being played tonight in San Juan, Puerto Rico? It will not be an easy trip for the Cubbies as they take on wild-card-hungry Montréal. The Expos are 11-8 at their home away from home, and unlike their opponents, they're used to the bad lighting and rock-hard, artificial turf. While the Cubs are on an island unto themselves, the other contenders in the NL Central would seem to have it easier tonight. Houston visits Milwaukee, and St. Louis hosts Colorado. Folks, having lived in Chicago, it certainly would be fun to see an 'L' Series next month. Hasn't happened in 97 years, which also may have been the last time the Bears played a decent game." Le Batard: Boston's 'Hot, labored breath' MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 8, 2003 Extra Point -- Dan Le Batard (morning): "The Red Sox are right there again, per usual, right there, right there, right there. This is why they are the Red Sox -- not because they stink every year, but because they produce legitimate reasons for legitimate hope and then stink. But now the Yankees look more vulnerable than they have in a very long time -- with a weakened bullpen, an assortment of turmoil and injuries and a starting staff that makes it way to the mound with the aid of oxygen masks and walkers. Then again, the Yanks looked vulnerable when winning 87 games a few years ago, and they won the title that year, so who knows about these things? Still, though, the Red Sox were down 7½ games on Aug. 20, and now, a couple of weeks later, New York can feel Boston's hot, labored breath on its neck. And wouldn't that be just the thing to push football out of the focus for a couple of minutes? A legitimate pennant race in which the Red Sox and Yankees are fighting not just for the division crowd but for the right to be in the playoffs at all? You have to root for the Red Sox if for no other reason than to watch George Steinbrenner spontaneously combust." Extra Point -- Dan Davis (afternoon): "There were times over the last few years when you really had to feel for Steve Mariucci. He had to put up with a lot in San Francisco but managed to keep his chin up. Although we are only one game into a new season, Mariucci is reminding us that he is a terrific coach of football. In San Francisco, Mariucci had to put up with a front office with way too many bosses -- Terry Donahue and Bill Walsh, to name two -- not to mention having to deal with self-centered Terrell Owens on the field. In Detroit, different story. He has an owner and respected GM in place. He can coach the ego-free Lions his way without meddling. He inherited a franchise quarterback and drafted a terrific receiver. We have seen before what Steve Mariucci can do with talented people. Mariucci had input on draft day, and it shows. Like Bill Parcells, Mariucci shopped for the groceries. Chef Parcells inflicted some awful goulash on us Sunday while Chef Mariucci served up a tasty dish. But the proof is in the pudding. Let's see what dessert looks like this week in Lambeau Field." SportsBeat -- Brent Musburger from ESPN Zone, Las Vegas, Nev. (afternoon): "A terrific opening weekend to the NFL season concludes tonight, and it might not get any better than this -- a rematch of last season's NFC Championship. As the Philadelphia Eagles get set to host the Tampa Bay Buccaneers, we should note that while we can remember some memorable revenge games, the loser of a championship or Super Bowl historically goes about .500 in the next season's rematch. This time around, the Eagles have experienced a talent drain on defense because of free agency and injuries. In my opinion, this leaves them vulnerable against a very well-coached Buccaneer team. You don't find a better combination of head coach-defensive coordinator than Jon Gruden and Monte Kiffin. The road 'dog could bark loudly in Philly's new digs tonight. "Thumbs down to Dave Wannstedt and the Miami Dolphins. How many 'suicide pools' did the Dolphins wreck in Week One when they fell asleep against the second-year Houston Texans? I guess we shouldn't be surprised, because these same Texans wreaked havoc a year ago when they dumped the Dallas Cowboys in Week One. But that game was in Houston. This one was in Miami, and if you ask me, Wannstedt has run out of excuses. Thumbs down also to the Chicago Bears. They were absolutely the worst team that I saw yesterday. Now for some thumbs up -- first to Dan Reeves and the Atlanta Falcons. The pundits had them dead and buried without Mike Vick, but Doug Johnson did just enough to help a very good defense get past the Cowboys in Dallas. Thumbs up also to Mike Tice and the Minnesota Vikings. Their win in Green Bay stamps them as the team to beat in the NFC Central. And since I'm out of thumbs, here's a round of applause for Priest Holmes and the Kansas City Chiefs. Priest showed he is clearly recovered from his hip injury, and there wasn't a team better prepared for its opener than K.C. against the Chargers. If Dick Vermeil's defense continues to play like it did yesterday, this team could play a long way into January." Wingo: Glove treatment SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 6, 2003 Extra Point -- Trey Wingo (morning): "Spinal Tap wanted you to 'smell the glove.' I just want to share the football love. If Thursday night's season opener was an indication, then we're going to have one hell of a season. And kudos to the suits on Park Avenue for giving us one hell of a Week 1 schedule. Both conference championships are being revisited. Can the Raiders really turn it on after being so off all summer long? How bad does Tennessee want to crush the 'Silver and Black'? The Bucs go back to the scene of the start of their run to the Super Bowl. Will a win by the Eagles avenge the bitter defeat that kept them out of Super Sunday? Ravens at Pittsburgh: a rookie at quarterback against the new Steel Curtain? Please. And the 'Lawyer Bowl' in Buffalo. How much will a new safety tip the scales in favor of Drew and the Bills against the Pats? I could go on and on, but you get the point. The National Football League is the most powerful controlled substance allowed under the laws of this nation, and trust me, this one won't be illegal anytime soon -- but it's so good, it ought to be."
Cohn: Clarity for Clarett "Tomorrow in the West, the Tiger tamers from USC host BYU at 8 Eastern on ABC. Offensive coordinator Norm Chow of the Trojans hopes to light up his former employer, which snubbed him when it replaced LaVell Edwards three years ago. Also tomorrow, UCLA makes its debut under new head coach Karl Dorrell in a state where he's a familiar face. The former Broncos assistant takes the Bruins to face Colorado at 3:30 Eastern on ABC. Buffs quarterback Joel Klatt made a masterful debut last weekend in beating Colorado State. "Notre Dame opens the second year of the Ty Willingham era tomorrow hosting Washington State. It would be easy to like the Golden Domers at home in this one, but the Cougars return 15 senior starters for this one. That could be enough experience to handle South Bend right there, and it's a homecoming for Wazzou coach Bill Doba, who grew up in South Bend. Down in Florida the Gators go to Miami to face their former quarterback, Brock Berlin, tomorrow night at 8 Eastern on ABC. The 'Canes dominated in Gainesville last year 41-16, and there's no reason to think tomorrow at the Orange Bowl will be any different. Oklahoma plays its first-ever game in the state of Alabama against Mike Shula's Crimson Tide, which struggled last week before putting away South Florida in the second half. They should be so lucky against the Sooners, which has the best defense in the country. Air time is 7:45 Eastern tomorrow night on ESPN." Smith: End before the beginning THURSDAY, SEPTEMBER 4, 2003 Extra Point -- Shelley Smith (morning): "It pays no attention to race or religion or gender or age or to personality, attitude, desire or deservability. It takes our best, and it takes our worst without any regard for what is at stake or what will be lost, sometimes forever. It strikes suddenly, often for no apparent reason, moving through the night with reckless disregard for those left in its wake. It is injury -- the great equalizer in sports -- and it knows nothing of fairness. Atlanta's Michael Vick, the Jets' Chad Pennington, Detroit's James Stewart -- all finished before this season ever began. Hours and hours in the gym, on the track, all lost along with dreams that always are reborn on the dawn of a new year, all because injury reared its insidious head and claimed its prey. Rehab will fix some, but even still, what was lost will never be regained." Extra Point -- John Anderson (afternoon): "On Day 1 of the NFL season, here's a little pregame-show tip for you: Don't listen to anybody's Super Bowl picks. Experts, analysts, players, sportscasters -- don't listen to any of them. They, we, me -- know nothing. Now our information is good on injuries, tendencies, which players are hot or why they're not, but picking a winner for February in Houston? No shot. Dumb luck, maybe. Did you have the Rams after Trent Green went down and Kurt Warner stepped in? Tom Brady off the bench for Drew Bledsoe, and the Patriots win it all? How about the Rams starting 0-5 last year? The Dolphins going from the AFC's top seed to out of the playoffs completely in the final two weeks? I'm guessing not. Seriously, did anybody have keen insight that the Ravens were on their way to the Lombardi Trophy after going touchdown-less in October 2000? No, which is why the start of a new NFL season is so terrific, because unlike baseball, your team really does have a chance." SportsBeat -- Brent Musburger from the ESPN Zone, Las Vegas (afternoon): "We've spent 221 restless nights waiting for it, and not even Britney Spears can distract us from what we really want. Folks, we are ready for some football -- and yes, a little bit of intrigue, too. Whether it was a a sense of drama, a sense of humor or just plain coincidence, the NFL schedule maker could not have given us a matchup with more storylines than the New York Jets and the Washington Redskins. First, you have Jets quarterback Chad Pennington, whose wrist injury has him on the sidelines tonight in Washington. Then you have Daniel Snyder, the wunderkind owner of the Redskins who is still looking for some steak to go with all that sizzle. And what sizzle he provided this off-season. All he did was raid the Jets for a quartet of high-profile free agents -- wide-out Laveranues Coles, kick returner Chad Morton, lineman Randy Thomas and kicker John Hall. Fans of 'Gang Green' find themselves crying conspiracy, and fans of the Redskins are just plain crying. That's because Snyder may have spent $78 million on four 'JetSkins,' but D.C. fans will tell you the Redskins have nothing to show for all his spending. But enough of this soap opera. The true story of tonight's Jets-Redskins game starts with the quarterbacks. While New York is forced to settle for veteran Vinny Testaverde over the next 10 weeks, the Redskins counter with second-year man Patrick Ramsey, who threw almost as many interceptions as touchdown passes last year. The Jets will try to get around this challenge with their running game. Curtis Martin has to hope Washington's suspect defensive line is as bad as advertised. While New York wants a low-scoring, ball-control game, Steve Spurrier wants a wide-open, high-scoring shootout for Washington. Overall, give a slight edge to the Redskins and 'The Ol' Ball Coach,' because the Jets' soon-to-be, 40-year-old quarterback may tire in the fourth-quarter humidity. I like Washington by a touchdown in this one, which you can see tonight at 9 Eastern on ABC." Scott: The joy of TiVo WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 3, 2003 Extra Point -- Stuart Scott (morning): "I'm happy to say I have entered the 21st century. No, I didn't get a new cell phone. Still have that circa 1999 Star Tech, because I like it. Still don't bother a whole lot with emails. I always wonder why someone would write me a real long note to say, 'Hi,' when my reply is, 'Good to hear from you, too.' Pick up your phone and call me -- on my Star Tech. Nah, I'm entering the 21st century with TiVo. I'll finally be able to sit at home, watch sports, pause it right in the middle of a play, leave, come back and see all of the play. Except for one thing: I watch sports at work. When I'm at home, I'm watching real TV. I don't want to miss an episode of 'NYPD Blue;' '24;' 'Boomtown;' 'Boston Public;' 'The Bachelor;' 'Temptation Island,' but don't tell anybody; 'E.R.;' 'Mind of a Married Man,' 'The Sopranos.' Sometimes the VCR doesn't record. Sometimes I forget to set it. TiVo will do the trick. It's time. What this has to do with sports? A lot less than I thought." Extra Point -- Jay Mariotti from Chicago (afternoon): "So there was Moises Alóu, ejected after appearing to spit at an umpire. A weird meltdown? Nah, just another crazy night at the ballpark in my town -- Chicago -- which is bursting with so much psychodrama this season that the city limits may have to be placed in a straitjacket. It's bizarre enough when they find cork in Sammy Sosa's bat or a loon runs onto the field and tackles the first-base ump. But feeding the frenzy is the rarest of Chicago rarities -- a playoff race on both sides of town, which last happened when a local's parents' parents' parents were double-dating in the Ford Edsel. A collective 179 seasons have passed since the Cubs or White Sox won a world championship, and all you need to know is that a World Series was thrown in this town since one was last claimed legitimately. Behind me, perhaps you can hear the sound of chattering teeth. Yes, there are Cy Young candidates on both sides of town in Esteban Loiaza and Mark Prior. Yes, there are big-time hitters in both lineups. But this is still Chicago, the baseball town that hope forgot. You'd like to think the gods are having mercy, but deep down, you figure they're having a good laugh with their biggest tease yet." SportsBeat -- Brent Musburger from ESPN Zone, Las Vegas, Nev. (afternoon): "We're down to the last 24 hours or so before we kick off the 2003 NFL season. That also means the last 24 hours to make our picks. Let's take 'em one division at a time, first in the NFC South, where the defending Super Bowl champs should dominate. My sleeper team that could challenge Tampa Bay is Atlanta. Yes, Atlanta. Even without injured quarterback Mike Vick, the Falcons are tough, especially on defense under coordinator Wade Phillips. In the East, the Eagles should get back to the title game, but they figure to be pushed by the Giants. In the North, the Packers and the Vikings will battle it out, and I give the nod to Brett Favre. In the West, you'll find the NFC's most overrated team -- the St. Louis Rams. I look for a big move from Seattle, where new defensive coordinator Ray Rhodes should be a big help for his old Packer boss, Mike Holmgren. I like a rematch for the NFC championship between the Eagles and the Buccaneers, and this time, Donovan McNabb prevails. By the way, you can preview that game Monday night when they square off in the Eagles' new stadium. "The Miami Dolphins' road to Super Bowl XXXVIII got a whole lot easier this week, when the New England Patriots up and fired one of the best safeties in the business -- Lawyer Milloy. The sleeper in the AFC East will be Buffalo, where Drew Bledsoe will put a lot of points on the board. The team to watch in the AFC West will be Kansas City. Year three of a Dick Vermeil regime always has been successful, but the Chiefs will have to hold off aging nemesis Oakland. The best battle in the AFC will be in the South between Indy and Tennessee. Give the 'Edge' to James over Eddie George. In other words, advantage Colts. In the North, the Pittsburgh Steelers should be able to find enough to hold off the three wannabes in the AFC North. For the title, I'm picking Miami to beat Kansas City, then it's off to Houston for Super Bowl XXXVIII, only to lose to the winner and new champion, the Philadelphia Eagles." Schaap: NASCAR goes Hollywood TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 2, 2003 Extra Point -- Jeremy Schaap (morning): "Sunday in Darlington, S.C., 47-year-old Terry Labonte won the 54th annual Southern 500. Perhaps it was fitting that the final Southern 500 to be run on Labor Day weekend was won by a driver whose career spans the rise of NASCAR from regional preoccupation to national sensation. As NASCAR's transformation continues, one thing has become very clear: its willingness to discard the past in favor of its future. As one magazine recently put it, this year NASCAR has 'eagerly abandoned the symbols of its southern past.' Winston cigarettes, its title sponsor for 32 years, is to be replaced by Nextel. Unocal, its fuel supplier for more than forty years, is to be replaced by Sunoco; and over Labor Day weekend NASCAR will race not in Dixie any more, but outside Los Angeles. NASCAR has proved that it's willing to sell itself to the highest bidder. Will it sell its soul as well?" Extra Point -- Rece Davis (afternoon): "USC is No. 5 in the nation in the ESPN-USA Today college football poll; No. 4 according to The AP. It brings up a question: Why aren't the Trojans No. 1? Who had a better win than 'SC's thrashing of Auburn? Nobody. This is a perfect example of why people say there shouldn't be any college football polls until the first month or so of the season has been played. I believe those people are wrong, too. Nothing wrong with the preseason and early-season polls, but those voting in them shouldn't view this as some type of reflection on their prognostication skills. It should be fluid in the early part of the season. If a team like USC registers the most impressive performance, reward them. Does anyone really think 'SC didn't look better than Miami or pass a stiffer test than Oklahoma, Ohio State or Texas? Deep in the season, form should hold more often. Evaluation of one sloppy performance can be tempered by the entire body of work. Right now the Trojans are getting hosed." SportsBeat -- Brent Musburger from ESPN Zone, Las Vegas, Nev. (afternoon): "The five-day, college football weekend ended last night, and as we were all getting back to school, there was an important lesson to be learned: Beware of the sleeper. You get one every season, and this year the team everybody anointed to be the sleeper of the year was Auburn. You noticed I said 'was.' While everybody has found their way onto the Southern California bandwagon -- and for good reason -- they've left the sounds of 'War Eagle' in the dust. It's funny how much 23-0 can change expectations. While the Trojans have jumped into the Top Five, Auburn has fallen all the way from sixth to 19th in the coaches poll. Not that the season is totally lost for the Tigers. Remember, you can recover from an early loss. They visit Georgia Tech this week, and they should get W's against Vandy and Western Kentucky. If it's 3-1 going into a home date with Tennessee in October, Auburn may yet be a factor come BCS time in December. "From the overrated to the underrated. You know how the wire services put out a weekly update on Heisman hopefuls? I was checking out one of those lists this morning, and one name stood out because it was not anywhere to be found. Folks, after his performance Saturday at Clemson, how do you not include Georgia quarterback David Greene? He may not be a front-runner just yet, but he has the credentials to be a serious candidate. He threw for 200 yards and one touchdown, ran for another and was not intercepted in a 30-0 victory at 'Death Valley.' Greene has now completed 59 percent of his passes for nearly 6,000 yards, 40 touchdowns and only 17 interceptions. What's more, in nine visits to opponents' home fields, he is 9-0. As Greene's stock goes up, so does that of the Bulldogs. Same goes for Southern California and, yes, even defending champion Ohio State. Saturday night's 28-9 ambush of Washington not only knocked the Huskies out of the Top 25, it showed the Buckeyes' success is not linked entirely to the ups and downs of Maurice Clarett." Le Batard: Give me some 'skin MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1, 2003 -- LABOR DAY Extra Point -- Dan Le Batard (morning): "We survived it -- barely. We survived the empty months, filling up on basketball and baseball and hot-dog-eating contests and stuff that doesn't matter like this does. We survived the fantasy-league-wrecking injuries to players like Michael Vick and Chad Pennington. We were like Vinny Testaverde, aging a little more by the day, feeling hopeless and lost sometimes, but then, like Testaverde, we caught a break. Football is finally here again. We got an appetizer with college football, but now the big boys come out to play. Bill Parcells, Brett Favre, Ray Lewis, Randy Moss, Priest Holmes -- a season of hope, excitement and buzz is upon us. Parity ensures that just about every NFL city outside of Cincinnati feels that this is the year, finally, that if the Rams and Patriots and Ravens can do it from nowhere, then why can't we? Most of us will be wrong, of course. Most of our teams don't have that chance, but now isn't the time for that. Football is here, people, and the only hurdle left is these last three days before Redskins-Jets." Extra Point -- Chris McKendry (afternoon): "How much faith does Brian Billick have in his defense? He named Kyle Boller his starting quarterback. Granted, Billick's naming a starter is like me choosing my favorite pair of shoes. He's used eight different starters since 1999, the most in the NFL. Still, selecting a rookie to lead a playoff contender is unusual. Can you hear Billick's rallying cry to Kyle? 'Just don't lose, baby.' Since the NFL went to a 16-game schedule in 1978, Dan Marino's 7-2 record in nine starts in 1983 is the best performance by a rookie, but even Marino started his rookie season on the bench. Of the rookies who started the season, David Carr beat Dallas in the first game last year but ended up being sacked 76 times. Peyton Manning threw 28 picks in a 3-13 season. Maybe the best debut: Ryan Leaf started his career 2-0. Oh. So I ask, again, how much does Brian Billick believe in his defense?" SportsBeat -- Brent Musburger (afternoon): "On this last day to relax before the traditional end of summer, let's pause to listen for the quiet. That means you have to ignore all the noise that was generated by the Yankees and the Red Sox. That means you have to put aside today's start to the Cardinals-Cubs series at Wrigley. Never mind the sound of success coming from Oakland, where the A's put together another amazing August. Instead, before we put away the lawn furniture and drain the pool, let's sit back and consider the quietest assault being made on the playoffs. When was the last time you heard much talk about the Houston Astros? Folks, even if you're in Texas, they're talking more about the Cowboys and Texans and Longhorns and Aggies than they are about Bagwell and Biggio and Kent. They've been treading water lately, but they're still within breathing distance of the St. Louis Cardinals in the NL Central, and they began the day two games out in the wild-card race, which brings us to their road game tonight against another wild-card contender -- the streaking Los Angeles Dodgers. So how are the Astros doing it? For once, it's not all about their bats. While the Dodgers are bringing up the rear in offense, the Astros aren't faring much better. Only one of their regulars is batting better than .300, and that's Richard Hidalgo. I guess you could say it's pitching, but the starting rotation is only four games over .500. What's more, their ace Roy Oswalt is on the shelf. OK, so the bullpen is anchored by Billy Wagner, but getting him a lead has not been easy. We'll see about tonight as Wade Miller faces 15-game winner Hideo Nomo in L.A. "The five-day weekend in college football gets wrapped up tonight when Tulane hosts TCU. The attraction in this game is senior quarterback J.P. Losman of Tulane, who threw for nearly 2,500 yards and 19 touchdowns a year ago. Losman is one of those guys whose name will come up in next year's NFL Draft, so keep an eye on him as you watch tonight at 8 Eastern on ESPN."Bonds is the leader going around the far turn in the race for MVP. About the only way streaking Cardinal Albert Pujols can catch him is to win the triple crown, and since he's trailing Bonds by four in the home-run race, it looks like the best player in the National League is the same guy it's been the last two years. "Nothing ever works for the Boston Red Sox. Their offense has had the greatest drop-off in batting average since the All-Star break of any team in the American League, their bullpen continues to be plagued by failure, and with seven losses in their last 10 games, they've fallen 7½ games behind the New York Yankees. Maybe more realistic is the wild-card race, in which the Red Sox trail Oakland by two games with the A's looking to complete a three-game sweep tonight. Never mind whether GM Theo Epstein was a genius at the trade deadline. The bigger question every year is whether the 'Curse of the Bambino' has been beaten, and it's clear the answer remains a resounding no." |
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  Extrapoint Index for Aug. 15-31, 2003 |
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