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Bar Chat

11/06/2014

Oregon up to Number Four

[Posted Wed. AM]

NFL Quiz: The Chicago Bears haven’t exactly been known for their passing attack over the years. Name the five to throw for 10,000 yards in their Bears’ careers, one being an old-timer, the other four playing for Chicago 1982 and later. Answer below.

Your new College Football Playoff selection committee poll....

1. Mississippi State
2. Florida State
3. Auburn
4. Oregon...quack quack
5. Alabama
6. TCU
7. Kansas State
8. Michigan State
9. Arizona State
10. Notre Dame
11. Ole Miss
12. Baylor
14. Ohio State

1. Mississippi State 8-0 (45 first-place votes)
2. Florida State 8-0 (15)
3. Auburn 7-1
4. Alabama 7-1
5. Oregon 8-1
6. TCU 7-1
7. Michigan State 7-1
8. Notre Dame 7-1
9. Kansas State 7-1
10. Baylor 7-1
11. Arizona State 7-1
12. Ole Miss 7-2
13. Ohio State 7-1
22. Duke 7-1
23. Marshall 8-0

So this weekend you have some biggies, highlighted by 10 Notre Dame at 9 Arizona State; 14 Ohio State at 8 Michigan State; 5 Alabama at 16 LSU; 4 Oregon at 17 Utah.

--USA TODAY’s Paul Myerberg ranks all 128 Division I (Football Bowl Subdivision) teams and No. 128 is...SMU! Shockingly, Wake Forest is No. 106.

--I posted last time prior to the Sunday night contest between the Steelers and Ravens, Pittsburgh winning 43-23. So for the archives, I note the spectacular two-game stretch of Ben Roethlisberger... six touchdown passes in back-to-back games, the most in a two-game span in NFL history.* Big Ben went 65 of 86 (75.6%) for 862 yards, 12 touchdowns and zero interceptions. Roethlisberger has always flown under the radar when it comes to how we think of the elite quarterbacks, but to say the least he’s there. And what a year it is for the top group.

*Y.A. Tittle (1962) is the only other QB with two, six-TD games in the same season. Tom Flores (1963, Oakland) had the previous back-to-back record of 11, matched by Tom Brady in 2007.

So forget passing yards for this week, let’s look at the Big Five:

Andrew Luck 26 TD-9 INT...100.3 rating
Ben Roethlisberger 22-3 ...110.6
Peyton Manning 24-5...112.0
Aaron Rodgers 19-3...113.6
Tom Brady 22-3...103.5

I don’t think you’d have an argument with those being the top five, even though Luck hasn’t been in the league that long. 

Drew Brees 15-8...97.1
Philip Rivers 20-8...102.6
Tony Romo 15-6...103.6

Carson Palmer 11-2
Alex Smith 11-4
Colin Kaepernick 12-5
Russell Wilson 11-3
Joe Flacco 16-8
Matt Ryan 15-8
Jay Cutler 17-8

Russell Wilson is obviously a special situation and, to me, totally in a class by himself. It’s just that in his current offense he’s not likely to ring up the stats.

And I know many of you would put Brees in an elite six...

Rodgers 105.6
Manning 97.7
Rivers 96.4
Romo 96.2
Brady 96.1
Brees 95.3
Roethlisberger 93.9

Luck is at 86.2 but he obviously had some growing pains, particularly in year one, that just about everyone else has.

Meanwhile, while we’re talking about the Steelers and Big Ben...I’d say the AFC North is rather competitive.

Cincinnati 5-2-1
Pittsburgh 6-3
Cleveland 5-3!
Baltimore 5-4

New Orleans 4-4
Carolina 3-5
Atlanta 2-6
Tampa Bay 1-7

--If there is one big surprise team on the positive side of the ledger, thus far it has to be the 7-1 Cardinals. Seeing as my favorite player in the NFL is receiver Larry Fitzgerald, this is good. Would love to see him in the playoffs, which seems like a certainty at this point. [Right, Shu?]

--It’s not too early to look at the battle for the #1 draft pick next spring, as Jets fans pray we can finish lousy enough to secure Marcus Mariota (at least educated fans should be hoping this).

Oakland 0-8
Jets 1-8
Jacksonville 1-8
Tampa Bay 1-7
Tennessee 2-6
Atlanta 2-6

--At quarterback for the Eagles, at least for the foreseeable future, is Mark Sanchez, after the team learned Nick Foles suffered a broken collarbone and is out “indefinitely.” Last season, Aaron Rodgers broke his collarbone and missed seven games.

--The Jets have forced three turnovers...three...in nine games. [1 interception, 2 fumbles.] Needless to say this is the lowest total in football. The record for fewest turnovers generated in a season is 11, set by last year’s Texans. 

--New York football teams are a combined 4-13, so take pity on us Jets and Giants fans when you see us around the country, walking aimlessly...to nowheresville. 

“When they set the NFL’s single-season scoring record in 2007, the Patriots put up 589 points – an average of 36.8 per game. During their current five-game winning streak, the Patriots are averaging 40.2 points per game.” [The Broncos broke the scoring record with 606 points last year.]

--David Leonhardt of the New York Times had a piece on the decline in participation for high school football. For example, according to the National Federation of State High School Associations, the number of boys playing high school ball has fallen 15% over the last six years in both Minnesota and Wisconsin. 14% in Colorado. Leonhardt notes, however, that when you look at all the stats:

“The concerns about football cut across demographic groups, but they were the most intense among Democratic voters who had graduated from college. In fact, the attitudes of three other groups – Obama voters without a bachelor’s degree, Romney voters without one and Romney voters with one – were strikingly similar. Between 58% and 65% of each said they would be comfortable with their son playing football. Only 32% of 2012 Obama voters with a bachelor’s degree gave that answer.”

Ball Bits

--Joe Maddon’s contract to manage the Cubs is five years, $25 million, according to various reports, so at the end of his introductory news conference Monday, at a sports bar across the street from Wrigley Field, Maddon closed by calling for the bartender and declaring: “First round is on me.” [The Cubs used the bar because of renovations at Wrigley.]

--The Minnesota Twins named Hall of Famer Paul Molitor as their next manager, replacing Ron Gardenhire, who was fired after 13 seasons.

--As expected, the Yankees extended a one-year qualifying offer at the league-mandated price of $15.3 million for closer David Robertson. Robertson is expected to turn it down and sign elsewhere in free agency, meaning the Yankees would receive draft-pick compensation. Players have until Nov. 10 to accept or decline the one-year offer.

As noted in the Wall Street Journal, “In the two off-seasons since the qualifying-offer system was introduced, no free agent has taken the offer. Declining it doesn’t preclude Robertson from returning to New York, however.” The Yankees are open to giving him a multi-year year.

The San Francisco Giants extended the one-year offer to Pablo Sandoval, while the Dodgers did the same with shortstop Hanley Ramirez. Sandoval wants to remain with the Giants, and just might, while Ramirez is likely to bolt. The Dodgers already have 10 players with guaranteed contracts through at least 2017 and are unlikely to extend a long-term deal to the fragile Ramirez, who sat out a combined 110 games over the last two seasons.

--The Gold Gloves were handed out and St. Louis catcher Yadier Molina won his seventh straight, joining Ivan Rodriguez and Johnny Bench as the only catchers to win at least seven in a row – the other two winning 10 each.

For the Royals, catcher Salvador Perez, first baseman Eric Hosmer and left fielder Alex Gordon all repeated.

For the Mets, center fielder Juan Lagares picked up his first. Some of the other recipients were Braves’ shortstop Andrelton Simmons, Dodger first baseman Adrian Gonzalez and the Red Sox’ Dustin Pedroia at second.

--Yup, it’s all A-Rod, all the time now. The New York Daily News’ I-team (O’keeffe, Madden, Thompson and Red) reports that Rodriguez is cooperating in the federal Biogenesis investigation, having signed an agreement with prosecutors back in January guaranteeing that any admissions he makes won’t be used against him in later proceedings.

“The limited-use proffer deal Rodriguez received does not mean that he will avoid prosecution entirely: If A-Rod is not truthful in his testimony or if other evidence of a crime is discovered by prosecutors, the deal is off.”

So A-Rod has turned A-Rat. He also paid his cousin, Yuri Sucart, almost $1 million in June 2013 to keep quiet about A-Rod’s doping, as well as provide Sucart with a home and health insurance for Yuri and his family, and other assorted goodies, like a job in A-Rod’s real estate company.

Sucart’s trial begins Feb. 9 in Miami, meaning A-Rod will most likely be a witness, during spring training! The circus is back in town.

College Hoops

The AP’s preseason all-American team consists of Duke freshman Jahlil Okafor, UNC’s Marcus Paige, Wisconsin forward Frank Kaminsky, Louisville forward Montrezl Harrell and Wichita State point guard Fred VanVleet.

--Through Tuesday’s play, the Philadelphia 76ers are 0-4. Mark R. is sticking with his prediction they will finish 6-76...at best. However, this is being posted before a huge early-season contest...0-4 Orlando at Philly, Wednesday. Meanwhile, Kobe’s atrocious Lakers are already 0-5.

--Regarding the Sprint Cup race at Texas Motor Speedway, and the post-race confrontation between Jeff Gordon and Brad Keselowski, Gordon confronted Keselowski on pit road, a melee ensued, many punches were thrown, and Keselowski was spitting blood.

Gordon said he was on older tires when “out of nowhere I got slammed by the two.” He then referred to Keselowski with an expletive. “He’s just a dip----.” [Notice, there are four dashes, so in case you’re wondering, it’s not ‘dipstick,’ which I wouldn’t want to be called, personally.]

Keselowski said, “We were just racing for the win. I didn’t wreck him, and just raced him hard. He left a hole....I don’t want to ruin anyone’s day. I wanted to win the race and that was the opportunity. It just didn’t come together.”

A lot of racers are ticked at Keselowski these days. Gordon said: “The way he races, I don’t know how he ever won a championship [Ed. 2012]. This is why everyone is fighting with him...To me, it’s just a bunch of crap. The kid is just doing stuff way over his head.”

[Tuesday, NASCAR handed down severe penalties for the post-race fight not to any drivers, but to some crew members, four of whom were suspended for six races.]

Meanwhile, this Sunday in Phoenix is the last “Eliminator Round” event before the finale at Homestead-Miami, and none of the remaining 8 has clinched a ride into the last one.

Ergo, Phoenix will be exciting and Homestead could be outrageous. Winner take all. Or top finisher among the final four.

--A few more notes on Sunday’s New York City Marathon. As the top American woman, Desiree Linden, who finished fifth, said of the weather conditions (temps in the low 40s, 45mph winds), “It was like running to survive...You felt like you were being blown backward.”

But with top Kenyan woman Rita Jeptoo facing PED charges (it was confirmed she is accused of using EPO, and the positive test was two weeks before she won the Chicago Marathon), what do you say of the two Kenyans winning on Sunday...Wilson Kipsang and Mary Keitany? [Actually, the second place finisher in the women’s race was another Kenyan, Jemima Sumgong).

For now, Jeptoo has appealed and her B sample is being tested. Plus there is zero evidence Kipsang and Keitany broke the rules.

Jeptoo was to win the $500,000 prize for top woman in the Big Six marathons this year. Kipsang wrapped up the men’s top prize.

Separately, kudos to tennis star Caroline Wozniacki, who finished her first marathon in 3:26:33. As Ronald Reagan would have said, ‘Not bad...not bad at all.’

And forget for a moment whether you are a Serena Williams fan or not. It was pretty cool how emotional she got in greeting her good friend Caroline at the finish line. Wozniacki said the longest she ran in one of her training runs was only 13 miles, and she had played a tennis match in Singapore just 8 days before the race.

Matthew Futterman in the Wall Street Journal asked a physician at the Mayo clinic, Michael Joyner, who is also a veteran marathoner, how fast could Wozniacki be if she trained the right way? Joyner said she could get 10% better from training and another 10% by getting super-skinny. “If she was a closet aerobic animal you might get 25%,” he told Futterman.

A funny aside...last weekend was to be the wedding of Wozniacki and Rory McIlroy, before he broke it off. In New York, too.

--Who wudda thunk it? British pop star Phil Collins has what is thought to be the world’s largest private collection of Battle of the Alamo artifacts, as I just read in Army Times. He recently donated it to the state of Texas. Collins said it “completes the journey for me. I’m 64. When I was 5 or 6 years old, this thing began,” in speaking of his fascination with the Alamo.

So among the items now in the possession of Texas are a fringed leather pouch and gun used by Davy Crockett, Jim Bowie’s legendary knife and letters from garrison commander William B. Travis. 

--Here’s a story sweeping the country, courtesy of Karin Price Mueller of NJ.com.

Joe Lentini was having a business dinner at Bobby Flay Steak at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City when he ordered some wine. Lentini said he isn’t a big drinker and maybe drinks a glass of wine once a month. In other words, “I don’t know much about wine at all,” he said.

But he and two others in the party of 10 decided to split a bottle and the host of the dinner told Lentini to pick one.

“I asked the waitress if she could recommend something decent because I don’t have experience with wine,” Lentini said. “She pointed to a bottle on the menu. I didn’t have my glasses. I asked how much and she said, ‘Thirty-seven fifty.’”

The drinkers at the table agreed to the price, Lentini said.

“Soon, the sommelier presented the corked bottle at the table. Lentini said he was having a conversation with his companions and didn’t really pay attention, but he approved of the bottle.

“A taste of the wine was served for him to sample. He approved, he said, and the bottle was placed on the table.

“ ‘It was okay. It was good,’ Lentini said of the wine. ‘It wasn’t great. It wasn’t terrible. It was fine.’

“When dinner was over, the check was handed to the host, who was sitting opposite Lentini at the round table, Lentini said.

“ ‘[The host] was sitting across from me and he handed the bill to the person next to him, who handed it to the next person until it got to me,’ he said. ‘I showed the gentleman next to me and we were shocked. We couldn’t believe it.’

“The total bill was $4,700.61, including tax. [Ed. there was a picture of the check in the article.] The bottle of wine, Screaming Eagle, Oakville 2011 – cost $3,750.

“ ‘I thought the wine was $37.50,’ Lentini said.”

Well, to say the least, there was a discussion. The waitress insisted she said “three-thousand, seven-hundred and fifty dollars.” Lentini and others at the table, including the two on either side of him, countered the waitress said ‘Thirty-seven fifty.”

The maître d’ / manager split the dinner portion out so that could be paid. The restaurant then offered to bill the wine at $2,200. Lentini said he couldn’t afford that, but to be able to leave, he and two other diners agreed to split the $2,200 bill.

Borgata conducted an investigation and said it believes proper practices were followed. Borgata said it’s confirmed by surveillance footage, but the hotel casino said it couldn’t provide it to the reporter...plus it didn’t have audio.

John Foy, a wine consultant and wine columnist for the Star-Ledger (now NJ.com), said the server should be held responsible.

“The person serving the wine has the obligation to make the price of the wine immediately clear,” he said. “It is very important that the server enunciate that price absolutely clearly. Short of that, the restaurant has to eat the cost of the bottle.”

Foy looked at the Borgata’s wine menu and Lentini was served the second most expensive on the list for a regular bottle.

So, you all are you thinking as Foy did, if, as Lentini told the waitress, he didn’t know anything about wine, why didn’t she point to the many $50 to $100 bottles on the menu?

Top 3 songs for the week 11/7/64: #1 “Baby Love” (The Supremes) #2 “Last Kiss” (J. Frank Wilson and The Cavaliers) #3 “Do Wah Diddy Diddy” (Manfred Mann)...and...#4 “Leader Of The Pack” (The Shangri-Las...great sweaters...) #5 “Let It Be Me” (Betty Everett & Jerry Butler...awesome tune...timeless...) #6 “Have I The Right?” (The Honeycombs...classic one-hit wonders...) #7 “Come A Little Bit Closer” (Jay & The Americans...great one...) #8 “The Door Is Still Open To My Heart” (Dean Martin...this is what was great about the 60s...that Deano could pop on the list from time to time...) #9 “Chug-A-Lug” (Roger Miller...one of the most underrated entertainers of all time...) #10 “We’ll Sing In The Sunshine” (Gale Garnett...ever really listen to this one? Unbelievably depressing...)

NFL Quiz Answer: Five to throw for 10,000 yards in their career with the Bears....

Jay Cutler (2009-2014) 17,006
Sid Luckman (1939-50) 14,686
Jim Harbaugh (1987-93) 11,567
Jim McMahon (1982-88) 11,203
Erik Kramer (1994-98) 10,582

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