Armchair Weekend in Review (November 3-5, 2006)
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by user JB82
The first weekend of November gave us plenty to talk about, so let's get to it right now.
NFL: Halfway home
Selected highlights from Week 9:
- The Indianapolis Colts went into Gillette Stadium with an undefeated record, and left the very same way. For the second year in a row, the Colts shaved the New England Patriots, this time by a score of 27-20. The Colts took advantage of four Tom Brady picks, while Peyton Manning threw for two scores, despite getting sacked three times.
- Before a Monday Night Football matchup in 1985 against the Chicago Bears, then-Miami Dolphins head coach Don Shula brought in selected members of the 1972 team, which to this day prides itself on being the only undefeated team in NFL history. With the past as motivation, the Dolphins beat up on the Super Bowl-bound Bears, with Dan Marino leading the way by throwing three scores.
- Over twenty years later, Nick Saban may not have done what Shula did, but history still repeated itself as the Dolphins caused the Bears and their quarterback, Rex Grossman, a good deal of grief in a 31-17 whipping. Adding injury to insult, Bears linebacker Brian Urlacher fell victim a foot trouble. How long he'll be on the shelf and/or the injury's severity is unknown at press time.
- Chad Johnson got only four receptions for 32 yards in the whole game, as the Baltimore Ravens shut up the Cincinnati Bengals, 24-17. Maybe Ocho Cinco can now callar su boca, if you know what I mean... ;-)
- Just when you thought the New York Jets' failed reenactment of the Stanford Band play was the nuttiest ending to an NFL game this year, we have some competition.
- With the score tied at 19 with 13 seconds to go, Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo threw a 23-yard strike to Jason Witten, and thus set up a game-winning field goal from Mike Vanderjagt. But, what would've been a 35-yard boot was blocked and recovered by the Washington Redskins. Even nuttier, the Cowboys commited a defensive penalty, and the Skins were given a chance to win it. Nick Novak, filling in for an injured John Hall, curved a 35-yard kick to give the Redskins the W, 22-19.
NCAA: The Month of Decision Begins
- Even though they are still atop the Bowl Championship Series standings, the top two teams needed to hold off bad luck this past Saturday
- The Ohio State University Buckeyes managed to hold off a late rally from the University of Illinois FIghting Illini, 17-10. Meanwhile, in Ann Arbor, the Ball State University Cardinals gave the University of Michigan Wolverines all they could handle, but the Maize and Blue held on against David Letterman's alma mater, 32-26.
- Our best wishes for a speedy recovery to Joseph Vincent Paterno, the head football coach of the Pennsylvania State University Nittany Lions. JoePa fractured his left leg and suffered damage to tendons in his left knee during his squad's 13-3 loss to the University of Wisconsin Badgers in Madison.
- MONDAY EXTRA: JoePa had surgery today, and he expects to be on the sideline when the Lions face the Temple University Owls next weekend.
- It was a memorable homecoming, in every sense of the words, for Mississippi State University head coach Sylvester Croom. A Tuscaloosa native and alumni of the University of Alabama (he played under legendary coach Bear Bryant in the mid-70s), Croom's Bulldogs upset the Crimson Tide, 34-26, ending a 23-game Southeastern Conference road losing streak in the process.
- With the Atlantic Coast Conference title prospects in their full control, the Wake Forest University Demon Deacons beat up on the Boston College Golden Eagles, 21-14. Wake's 8-1 record has been unseen in this part of the Piedmont Triad in over 60 years.
Ole, Ole-Ole-Ole...
- Is it just me or are things starting to get chippy over on the other side of the Pond? Proof of same: A dust-up between Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger and his West Ham United counterpart Alan Pardew in the Gunners' 1-0 win on Sunday. Adding to the foul tempers in London is an incident where Upton Park spectators tossed coins from the stands, with at least one striking Arsenal midfielder Robin van Persie. A good game marred by outbursts from spectators and coaches alike. Disgusting, if you ask me...
- Also, imagine if Joe Torre and Terry Francona got in a similar row? Or maybe Mike Krzyrzewski and Roy Williams?
- Dirk Kuyt had a memorable game, scoring both of Liverpool's goals in a 2-0 shutout of Reading
- Call it the "AWIR Curse", perhaps. Almost a month after I declared them this year's Wigan, Portsmouth drop their second match in a row, this one a 3-0 shoutout against Manchester United.
NBA: First Friday of the Season
- The Cleveland Cavaliers got into differing firsts to start off the 2006-2007 season: On Friday night, they beat the San Antonio Spurs for the first time since Lebron James was in Underoos. But, the next night, in Charlotte, they lost to the Charlotte Bobcats for the first time ever.
- File this under "I told you so": Two nights after battling the Memphis Grizzlies to a triple-overtime win, bad karma reared its ugly head after the New York Knicks fell to the Atlanta Hawks in the ATL and their home-opener against the Indiana Pacers.
NHL: The Frozen Pond
- In an exciting twist of fate, the Boston Bruins recovered from their gut-wrenching shootout loss to the Buffalo Sabres on Thursday night to a 6-5 overtime win over the Tampa Bay Lightning.
- Somebody tell me that this is some bizzaro vortex. How else can you explain that the Pittsburgh Penguins are contending this early in the season? All this despite a 3-2 loss to the San Jose Sharks
- Meanwhile, on the other side of the Keystone State, the Philadelphia Flyers find their cup of misery filled well past overflowing; further edification came with a 5-3 loss against the Washington Capitals.
Texas Terry's final race
- While Terry Labonte raced one last time in the Lone Star State (finishing 36th), it was Tony Stewart who scored his second win in a row (and third of the Chase for the Nextel Cup) in the Dickies 500 at Texas Motor Speedway. Matt Kenseth also had something to crow about after taking the top position in the Nextel Cup standings.
Odds and Sods
- Congratulations to Brazilian Marílson Gomes dos Santos and Latvian Jeļena Prokopčuka in their winning the New York City Marathon. While Prokopčuka repead as women's champion, dos Santos became the first South American runner ever to win the race. Also participating in the race was seven-time Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong, who ran amongst cancer survivors and finished in just under three hours.
- The title of Upset of the Weekend goes to thoroughbred race horse Invasor. The horse, who hails from the horse racing hotbed of Argentina, beat out favorite Bernardini to clinch the Breeder's Cup Classic at Churchill Downs. It was an historic win for jockey Fernando Jara, who became the youngest rider ever to win a BC race.
- Sadly, the day was marred by tragedy. During the Distaff, Pine Island collapsed and sent jockey Javier Castellano tumbling down to the track surface with him. While Castellano managed to survive (he would go on to ride Bernardini in the Classic, as mentioned above), the horse did not. Pine Island became only the second horse to suffer injuries so severe, they required animal euthansia (the first victim was Go For Wand in 1990).
Sorry to end it on a sad note...
But first, an important announcement...
There will be no AWIR in its regular format during the Holidays, but there will be an Armchair Year in Review double issue during that time. Also, I will be taking the last two weeks of February 2007 off, as I will be on a cruise to the Bahamas.
Until next week, as always, let's all be good sports...
