NFL Quiz: The sack stat became official in the 1982 season. 1) Who was the first to register 20 in a season? 2) Who is the all-time leader and how many seasons did he have 10 or more, also the record? Answers below.
College Football
BCS Top Five
1. Alabama .9958 [remaining games: @Mississippi State, Chattanooga, @Auburn…then SEC title game against Mizzou?]
2. Florida State .9619 [Syracuse, Idaho, @Florida…then ACC title game against a really lousy opponent.]
3. Ohio State .8926 [@Illinois, Indiana, @Michigan…Big Ten title game against Michigan State?]
4. Stanford .8689 [@USC, California, Notre Dame…Pac-12 title game? ASU, UCLA, USC…]
5. Baylor .8618 [Texas Tech, @Oklahoma State, @TCU, Texas…no conference championship game.]
Jesse Yomtov of USA TODAY Sports looks at the BCS bowl picture and if the season ended today, the automatic conference qualifiers (making the assumption the leaders win their conference championships where applicable)….
Alabama (SEC)
Florida State (ACC)
Ohio State (Big Ten)
Stanford (Pac-12)
Baylor (Big 12)
UCF (AAC)
“Fresno State would qualify on the basis of having a BCS higher ranking (No. 14) than UCF (No. 17). A team from a non-AQ (automatic qualifier) conference automatically earns a berth if ‘such team is ranked in the top 16 of the final BCS Standings and its ranking in the final BCS Standings is higher than that of a champion of a conference that has an annual automatic berth in one of the BCS bowls.’”
Actually, Northern Illinois, No. 15 BCS behind No. 14 Fresno State, can still pass the Bulldogs. A big win over 9-1 Ball State Wednesday night would help.
So this leaves three at-large berths and currently they would go to Oregon, Auburn and Clemson at Nos. 6-8 in the BCS.
With the conference tie-ins for the games, like in the Rose Bowl, Ohio State-Stanford would be a helluva game.
Personally, I’d love Baylor-Oregon. But of course we have a long ways to go. Auburn could easily drop out of the top 8 following its game against ‘Bama. Missouri and Texas A&M could find themselves back in the picture. Ditto Michigan State, which could really upset things with a win in the Big Ten Championship game.
–Jets fans are thinking, ‘Just beat Buffalo Sunday. Just beat Buffalo Sunday.’ Especially after seeing Miami lose to Tampa Bay on Monday night, 22-19. I say the Dolphins had to be a little distracted with all the turmoil swirling around them; particular heat being on the coaches with the accusations against them and owner Stephen Ross not the type to just sit back and do nothing if the rumors are true about them ordering Richie Incognito to toughen up Jonathan Martin.
That and the fact the Dolphins are severely lacking in some phases of the game, namely the offensive line. The winless Buccaneers held Miami to a franchise-low two yards rushing on 14 carries.
Again, the Jets have two games remaining against the Dolphins. Just beat Buffalo first.
I also have to note that the Jets game at Miami to close out the season is the longest flight they have remaining, which is no small deal at this point in the year.
Actually, the longest flight the Jets will have had this season (aside from Miami) is Tennessee. Contrast that with Oakland, which for starters will have made two trips to New York in a five-week period. [Recall, with the Raiders’ loss to the Giants on Sunday, they have now lost 12 straight in the Eastern time zone.]
Back to Stephen Ross, he finally broke his silence in a press conference before the game Monday and said he was appalled by Martin’s accusations and plans to meet with him, though the NFL said not until they talk to Martin first.
Ross also said he had formed an independent advisory group consisting of Tony Dungy, Don Shula, Dan Marino, Jason Taylor and Curtis Martin to review organizational conduct policies.
[I am already very tired of this topic…but gotta report on it, and we all know there is much more to come.]
–I posted last time prior to the Sunday night New Orleans-Dallas contest. Pretty good show by the Saints, I think you’d agree, like a franchise record 625 yards for New Orleans and an NFL-record 40 first downs as the Saints rolled, 49-17. Dallas had only 193 yards of offense.
Drew Brees threw for 392 and four touchdowns, while running back Mark Ingram ran for 145 on just 14 carries. In fact, with 383 yards passing and 242 on the ground, the Saints became the first team to have 380 through the air and 230 rushing yards in the same game since 1960.
—Peyton Manning should play on Sunday against the undefeated Chiefs. An MRI on his sprained right ankle revealed no new damage. He got hammered Sunday evening in Denver’s 28-20 win against San Diego. Manning initially injured the ankle against Jacksonville in Week 6 but hadn’t missed any practice time. Obviously this is a major potential problem as we head into the playoffs.
–Speaking of the Chiefs, Couch Slouch (the original), Norman Chad of the Washington Post, had picked Kansas City as his “team of destiny,” which is pretty darn good. So in his recent column he notes a deficiency in their record.
“Yeah, they’ve played a bunch of losers. But that’s like discounting Franklin D. Roosevelt’s 1932 and ’36 presidential wins because they came against Herbert Hoover and Alf Landon….
“Sure, it’s more likely the Chiefs will go from 9-0 to 9-7 than from 9-0 to 16-0. The rest of the schedule is tough, starting with two of the next three games against the Broncos.
“But there are two things I know like two things I’ve never known before:
“1. The Chiefs are a Team of Destiny headed for the Super Bowl.
“2. If I don’t get Toni (his wife) out of Whole Foods in the next five minutes, I’m going to lose a whole paycheck.”
–I’m surprised the following hasn’t received more national press. From the AP:
“A high school football player in Arizona died from an injury suffered in the fourth quarter of a blowout playoff game loss, serving as another tragic reminder of the dangers of head trauma in youth sports…
“The Institute of Medicine and National Research Council two weeks ago called for a national system to track sports-related concussions and answer questions about youth concussions.
“The report said 250,000 people age 19 and younger were treated in emergency rooms for concussions and other sports- or recreation-related brain injuries in the country in 2009. That was an increase from 150,000 in 2001.”
College Basketball
Super Tuesday…No. 1 Kentucky fell to No. 2 Michigan State 78-74, while No. 5 Kansas whipped No. 4 Duke 94-83. It was said there were 68 NBA scouts in attendance as all four rosters are loaded with future NBA first-rounders.
The Big 3 freshmen all impressed. Kentucky’s Julius Randle had 27 points and 13 rebounds (but 8 turnovers); Duke’s Jabari Parker went 27-9, and Kansas’ Andrew Wiggins had 22 and 8 boards.
Other than that no one will be surprised if three of the teams make the Final Four. Duke, however, seems thin (again) and one injury away from disappointment.
Ball Bits
–The Phillies signed free agent Marlon Byrd to a two-year, $16 million deal. Many of us see this as rather absurd, some even calling Byrd’s 24 home runs last season a fluke.
But as Adam Kilgore of the Washington Post pointed out, the market for sluggers is going to be robust.
“Five years ago, 62 players hit at least 24 home runs. In 2013, Byrd was one of 36 players who hit 24 homers. For a number of reasons, strikeouts have soared, scoring has dipped and home runs have plummeted. As one agent said, ‘a middle-of-the-lineup guy now is 23 [homers] and 80 [RBI].’ Power is going to get paid.”
–Tampa Bay Rays outfielder Wil Myers was selected A.L. Rookie of the Year, batting .293 with 13 homers in 88 games. His 53 RBI were tops among rookies. He wasn’t called up to the big leagues until June 18.
The N.L. winner was Miami’s Jose Fernandez, who was 12-6 with a sterling 2.19 ERA in 28 starts. He also gave up just 111 hits in 172 innings, spectacular, while fanning 187. Fernandez handily beat out L.A.’s Yasiel Puig.
–Cleveland’s Terry Francona was named A.L. Manager of the Year. Rather ironic as he beat out Boston’s John Farrell; Francona having won two World Series in his eight seasons at the helm of the Red Sox, though he never received a first-place vote for the award. While the vote was announced Tuesday, balloting took place prior to the playoffs.
In the N.L., Pittsburgh’s Clint Hurdle beat out L.A.’s Don Mattingly for Manager of the Year; Hurdle receiving 25 of the 30 first-place votes.
Just a reminder on the Dodgers’ historic turnaround last season. The 42-8 run that began June 22 was the first time a team had that kind of run since the 1945 St. Louis Cardinals, while in winning the N.L. West by 11 games, L.A. became the first team since the 1914 Boston Braves to trail by at least 9 ½ games and win by at least 10. [Bill Shaikin / L.A. Times]
–The Twins announced they are moving All-Star catcher Joe Mauer to first base on a full-time basis in order to preserve his health, Mauer having a concussion issue that kept him out the last six weeks of this past season.
–The Atlanta Braves are leaving Turner Field after their 20-year agreement expires at the end of the 2016 season and building a new $670 million facility 14 miles north on I-75, closer to their suburban fan base, for starters. The Braves would have had to spend $350 million to fully enhance Turner Field, which was built for the 1996 Summer Olympics.
Financing for the new stadium will come from Cobb County and the Braves, with the team being responsible for cost overruns.
–Attention Yankees fans…Shu, down Phoenix way, went to an Arizona Fall League game the other day (great time, $5 behind the dugout, Arizona weather), and said catcher/third base prospect Peter O’Brien “looks REALLY good.”
Ah, it’s going to be a fun season for the locals. The Knicks and Nets are both 2-4 heading into their games on Wednesday (after I posted). But the attitude among the faithful should be totally different. Knicks fans like yours truly feel like the season is already over. [Pssst…it is.] The loss of center Tyson Chandler for 4-6 weeks will put them behind the eight-ball long before he returns. Frankly, they suck.
As for the Nets, they embark on an 8 road contests in 11-game stretch and I’ll say they finish it with a 6-11 mark. But this is my Pick to Click and no panic after 6-11 if this is what it is. It’s just going to take a while for this team to mesh.
What makes it all fun, though, is the local press. Panic city already. Knicks coach Mike Woodson is a goner…has to be, scream the scribes. And, heck, given how awful Knicks owner James Dolan is, Woodson probably will be gone if, say, the Knicks are 4-10.
Golf Balls
–More than 85 PGA Tour caddies have created the Association of Professional Tour Caddies in an attempt to improve working conditions and get healthcare. They are not out to make specific demands but to shine a light on a profession that has changed greatly. Lance Bennett, caddie for Matt Kuchar, said, “We’re just trying to better ourselves for the future. This is a long time coming because the Tour is big business and the (caddie) profession has changed a lot in the last 30 years. Guys out here are educated and have families.”
Group health insurance is the primary objective. Currently, the self-employed caddies pay for their own healthcare, with the Tour reimbursing them a taxable $2,000 for insurance, which isn’t nearly enough, especially for someone with a family.
–I forgot to mention last time that Briny Baird finished second to Chris Kirk at the McGladrey Classic. The significance of this is that Baird, 41, not only had surgery on each shoulder last fall and has played only three PGA Tour events since May 2012, but he still has the double-edged distinction of leading active, fully exempt players with most Tour starts (365) and money won ($13.18 million) without a victory.
It was Baird’s sixth runner-up finish and this time he blew it on the last hole. But, the $484,000 he collected allowed him to become fully exempt for the remainder of the 2013-14 season.
“Alvin C. Thomas left home at 16 with 50 cents in his pocket and fashioned himself into a legend. He hustled with Ben Hogan, Lee Trevino and Ray Floyd. He won a big-money match against Byron Nelson….
“In 1912, not long after the Titanic sunk, Thompson took on Snow Clark, the best pool shark in Joplin, Mo. Thompson won the $500 match. Then he offered Clark double or nothing that he could jump over the pool table without touching it – which he did. As Clark was paying up, somebody asked him for the young man’s name. ‘It must be Titanic,’ Clark said. ‘He sinks everybody.’….
“One night in 1932, in Tyler, Texas, Thompson went out to his Pierce-Arrow, where a masked figure tried to stick him up. Thompson dropped to one knee and shot him dead. It was 16-year-old Jimmy Frederick, who had caddied for Thompson earlier in the day, when Titanic had bet the local pro $500 that he could break 70. (Thompson shot 69.)”
–Dr. Paul Wright, Jamaica’s senior drug tester, told BBC Sports that the country’s recent rash of failed tests might be the “tip of the iceberg.” The World Anti-Doping Agency recently visited Jamaica to investigate claims the nation’s athletes weren’t being tested rigorously enough.
Former Jamaican Anti-Doping Commission executive director Renee Anne Shirley first sparked the controversy when she claimed the athletes were given just one out-of-competition test in the six months leading up to the 2012 London Olympics.
Asafa Powell, former 100m world record holder, was the biggest name to test positive and miss this year’s World Track and Field Championships; four Jamaicans overall having failed tests at the country’s national trials in June.
Jamaican officials say there is no reason to doubt the test results of triple Olympic champions Usain Bolt and Shelly-Ann Fraser-Price.
Many believe the problem is with tainted food supplements.
–I’m following the Barclays Premier League pretty well…11 of 38 fixtures are complete. With the departure of manager Sir Alex Ferguson, Manchester United got off to a poor 2-1-3 start (wins-draws-losses) and there was major panic, but in the last five, Man U is 4-1-0, the latest a huge 1-0 win over first-place Arsenal, which sits on top with 25 points. [8-1-2…3 points for a win, 1 for a draw.] Man U is tied for fifth with their 20 points.
Top 3 songs for the week 11/11/72: #1 “I Can See Clearly Now” (Johnny Nash) #2 “Nights In White Satin” (The Moody Blues) #3 “I’d Love You To Want Me” (Sheriff Lobo)…and…#4 “Freddie’s Dead (Theme from ‘Superfly’)” (Curtis Mayfield) #5 “I’ll Be Around” (The Spinners) #6 “Garden Party” (Rick Nelson & The Stone Canyon Band…have to repeat, Rick Nelson was immensely underrated…) #7 “My Ding-A-Ling” (Chuck Berry) #8 “I Am Woman” (Helen Reddy) #9 “Convention ‘72” (The Delegates) #10 “Witchy Woman” (Eagles)
NFL Quiz Answers: 1) Mark Gastineau of the Jets was the first to officially register 20 sacks, getting 22 in 1984. 2) Bruce Smith is the all-time leader with 200, including 13 seasons of 10 or more. Reggie White had 198 and 12 seasons in double figures.
**Hey, boys and girls. Finally, I have been dragged kicking and screaming into Twitter. You can be my 8th follower!!! Actually, among my first tweets over the weekend (there were a bunch of test ones a few weeks ago while I was hiding out), I scooped the New York Times on the Iranian nuke talks. @stocksandnews
