By Rick Morris
Wonderful racial profiling on that Chinese version of the Sales Genie commercial!
Pats start to move the ball again at the beginning of the third quarter before being forced to punt again -- and it was a pretty good punt with the ball backed up inside of the Giants' 20! This is a Bizarro World version of the shootout or quasi-shootout we all thought we were going to see.
Belichick has just thrown the challenge flag to try to nullify the punt play by claiming the Giants had 12 men on the field. Should we really be surprised that's the way The Hoodie wants to win?
Showing posts with label Bill Belichick. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Bill Belichick. Show all posts
Sunday, February 3, 2008
Super Bowl preview
By Rick Morris
A quick note at the outset: I am an unashamed, unabashed admirer of the 1972 Dolphins. During the course of this past season, it has become apparent that I am one of the few anywhere, apparently, as the champagne toasts and braggadocio about The Perfect Season that I find amusing and appropriate are hated by the rest of Western Civilization. How Don Shula, Mercury Morris and the rest of the gang I appreciate and respect have managed to "babyface" Bill Belichick (in the parlance of pro wrestling) by comparison remains one of the great mysteries of life to me. I also don't care much for The Hoodie. But I pride myself on objective analysis and I will not let my personal biases factor into my assessments of this game. Also, I will be live-blogging the game on this very blog as it is unfolding.
^ First of all, here's a look at some of the best resources you will find anywhere for your pre-game reading. Pro Football Weekly has a great overall game breakdown, injury report, series of keys to the game, position-by-position comparison and series of staff predictions. CBS Sports has a detailed game breakdown video up on its website. And USA Today has a great Tale of the Tape that breaks down the statistics in excellent fashion.
^ Football Outsiders made the very provocative argument that this Super Bowl is the biggest mismatch in history on paper. They back up that statement quite well, although they hasten to add that that does not mean the Giants have no chance to win. The gist of the matter is that not only have the Pats been playing at the historic clip to get to 18-0 (especially on offense, as we are all well aware), the Giants come into the game having put together a fairly mediocre season by the standards of the previous 82 teams that made the Super Bowl (when the whole of the season is considered statistically). Frankly, the dramatic improvement (whether lasting or otherwise -- we'll find out) of Eli Manning is a microcosm for what the Giants are trying to do here -- put together a dramatic, almost-unprecedented in-season improvement that culminates in a Super Bowl win.
^ In my previous analysis of the postseason, I have referred to the Giants defense as being nothing more than the sum total of its pass rush. The secondary and the run defense have striven mightily to prove me wrong, especially in the NFC Championship Game. I question strongly whether they can bring anything near that level of effectiveness tonight, inasmuch as they weren't able to do much in their previous loss to the Pats. There's only so much fault you can drop on a team for getting picked apart by Brady & Company, though, as I noted in my postmortem of the playoff game against Jacksonville; the Jags tried their best to put a body on all available weapons, but there are just too many. And the admittedly superhuman Giant pass rush can be disarmed by effective running from Laurence Maroney and screen passes to that wee little sprite Kevin Faulk.
^ Analysts who claim that the Giants are better off for having played the Pats and for having almost pushed them to the brink in Week 17 are probably right. New England has an enormous mental edge over everyone they play, but the intimidation factor is probably a tad less against a team that stood in better against them than almost anyone else.
^ No talk of Belichick's Patriots can be complete without addressing the role of various mind games that are constantly taking place. Doubtless he is deriving additional motivation from the interjection into the process of Spygate one more time from Professional Ambulance Chaser Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spector. And the "Brady in a walking boot" motif struck me as a self-indulgent attempt by New England to interject a little drama into the proceedings, perhaps a bit the same as Bob Griese reemerging from injury to lead the Perfect Team over the top 35 years ago. Although the Giants will bring the heat in abundance, I don't look for Brady's alleged injury to play any part in the outcome whatsoever.
^ In terms of fun irrelevancies to the final outcome, this game marks the first time that two teams enter with a combined appearance figure in double digits: it's the Pats' sixth appearance and the Giants' fourth. Also, it marks the third time in the history of the Super Bowl that teams will play each other after missing a previous meeting by one year. The first time was in Super Bowl 19 when the 49'ers and Dolphins faced off against each other (San Francisco appeared in Super Bowl 16, Miami in Super Bowl 17). The second time was in Super Bowl 24 when the 49'ers and Broncos were matched (Denver appeared in Super Bowl 22, San Francisco in Super Bowl 23). The Giants and Patriots have twice missed playing each other in the Super Bowl by one year: New England was in Super Bowl 20, while the Giants made it to Super Bowl 21 and then the Giants were in Super Bowl 35, a year before the Pats in Super Bowl 36. The good news for those hoping for the big upset? NFC teams are 2-0 in such situations. Pete Axthelm would be proud!
^ Here's my actual prediction: I see the game being moderately high-scoring and hovering right around the pointspreads for side and total. I don't see the Giants being any closer to victory on the second go-round minus an unexpected turnover burst from New England; Belichick and his crew have had two weeks to prepare and extend their natural coaching advantage. New York will probably be coming from behind, perhaps as early as the second quarter, and they will be more predictable if they are. New England will look to establish great offensive balance between the run and the pass and in all likelihood they hit their offensive trough in their unimpressive effort against San Diego two weeks ago. The Giant pass rush will have to force at least two fumbles from Tom Brady or an equivalent number of interceptions from what would be uncharacteristically poor throws. Randy Moss and Plaxico Burress will probably each have decent but not hugely explosive games. Interestingly enough, neither team has punted the ball very well this season, so defensive stops could well result in good field position for the incoming offenses. In the end, the field for MVP will probably end up being crowded with a few possibilities, but Brady will take it, not least of which because the media has been snowed about the "adversity he is overcoming with his injury." New England finishes running the slate with a Super Bowl 42 win, 34-20.
A quick note at the outset: I am an unashamed, unabashed admirer of the 1972 Dolphins. During the course of this past season, it has become apparent that I am one of the few anywhere, apparently, as the champagne toasts and braggadocio about The Perfect Season that I find amusing and appropriate are hated by the rest of Western Civilization. How Don Shula, Mercury Morris and the rest of the gang I appreciate and respect have managed to "babyface" Bill Belichick (in the parlance of pro wrestling) by comparison remains one of the great mysteries of life to me. I also don't care much for The Hoodie. But I pride myself on objective analysis and I will not let my personal biases factor into my assessments of this game. Also, I will be live-blogging the game on this very blog as it is unfolding.
^ First of all, here's a look at some of the best resources you will find anywhere for your pre-game reading. Pro Football Weekly has a great overall game breakdown, injury report, series of keys to the game, position-by-position comparison and series of staff predictions. CBS Sports has a detailed game breakdown video up on its website. And USA Today has a great Tale of the Tape that breaks down the statistics in excellent fashion.
^ Football Outsiders made the very provocative argument that this Super Bowl is the biggest mismatch in history on paper. They back up that statement quite well, although they hasten to add that that does not mean the Giants have no chance to win. The gist of the matter is that not only have the Pats been playing at the historic clip to get to 18-0 (especially on offense, as we are all well aware), the Giants come into the game having put together a fairly mediocre season by the standards of the previous 82 teams that made the Super Bowl (when the whole of the season is considered statistically). Frankly, the dramatic improvement (whether lasting or otherwise -- we'll find out) of Eli Manning is a microcosm for what the Giants are trying to do here -- put together a dramatic, almost-unprecedented in-season improvement that culminates in a Super Bowl win.
^ In my previous analysis of the postseason, I have referred to the Giants defense as being nothing more than the sum total of its pass rush. The secondary and the run defense have striven mightily to prove me wrong, especially in the NFC Championship Game. I question strongly whether they can bring anything near that level of effectiveness tonight, inasmuch as they weren't able to do much in their previous loss to the Pats. There's only so much fault you can drop on a team for getting picked apart by Brady & Company, though, as I noted in my postmortem of the playoff game against Jacksonville; the Jags tried their best to put a body on all available weapons, but there are just too many. And the admittedly superhuman Giant pass rush can be disarmed by effective running from Laurence Maroney and screen passes to that wee little sprite Kevin Faulk.
^ Analysts who claim that the Giants are better off for having played the Pats and for having almost pushed them to the brink in Week 17 are probably right. New England has an enormous mental edge over everyone they play, but the intimidation factor is probably a tad less against a team that stood in better against them than almost anyone else.
^ No talk of Belichick's Patriots can be complete without addressing the role of various mind games that are constantly taking place. Doubtless he is deriving additional motivation from the interjection into the process of Spygate one more time from Professional Ambulance Chaser Pennsylvania Senator Arlen Spector. And the "Brady in a walking boot" motif struck me as a self-indulgent attempt by New England to interject a little drama into the proceedings, perhaps a bit the same as Bob Griese reemerging from injury to lead the Perfect Team over the top 35 years ago. Although the Giants will bring the heat in abundance, I don't look for Brady's alleged injury to play any part in the outcome whatsoever.
^ In terms of fun irrelevancies to the final outcome, this game marks the first time that two teams enter with a combined appearance figure in double digits: it's the Pats' sixth appearance and the Giants' fourth. Also, it marks the third time in the history of the Super Bowl that teams will play each other after missing a previous meeting by one year. The first time was in Super Bowl 19 when the 49'ers and Dolphins faced off against each other (San Francisco appeared in Super Bowl 16, Miami in Super Bowl 17). The second time was in Super Bowl 24 when the 49'ers and Broncos were matched (Denver appeared in Super Bowl 22, San Francisco in Super Bowl 23). The Giants and Patriots have twice missed playing each other in the Super Bowl by one year: New England was in Super Bowl 20, while the Giants made it to Super Bowl 21 and then the Giants were in Super Bowl 35, a year before the Pats in Super Bowl 36. The good news for those hoping for the big upset? NFC teams are 2-0 in such situations. Pete Axthelm would be proud!
^ Here's my actual prediction: I see the game being moderately high-scoring and hovering right around the pointspreads for side and total. I don't see the Giants being any closer to victory on the second go-round minus an unexpected turnover burst from New England; Belichick and his crew have had two weeks to prepare and extend their natural coaching advantage. New York will probably be coming from behind, perhaps as early as the second quarter, and they will be more predictable if they are. New England will look to establish great offensive balance between the run and the pass and in all likelihood they hit their offensive trough in their unimpressive effort against San Diego two weeks ago. The Giant pass rush will have to force at least two fumbles from Tom Brady or an equivalent number of interceptions from what would be uncharacteristically poor throws. Randy Moss and Plaxico Burress will probably each have decent but not hugely explosive games. Interestingly enough, neither team has punted the ball very well this season, so defensive stops could well result in good field position for the incoming offenses. In the end, the field for MVP will probably end up being crowded with a few possibilities, but Brady will take it, not least of which because the media has been snowed about the "adversity he is overcoming with his injury." New England finishes running the slate with a Super Bowl 42 win, 34-20.
Monday, January 28, 2008
Reliving the days of Bozo-Choke
By Rick Morris
To the long sad list of Cleveland sports futility we must add one more: the looming specter of the first perfect NFL team in 35 years, the same franchise that has already been crowned the "team of the decade" -- coached by a man run out of the North Coast in a cloud of futility 12 years ago. Why did Bill Belichick fail in Cleveland?
The question is often posed by people who did not have an up-close seat to the sorry state of the Browns franchise in the early and mid-90s. Those of us unfortunate enough to remember the coach once known as "Bozo-Choke" purposely designing bootlegs to humiliate his starting quarterback Bernie Kosar, kicking a field goal at the end of a game that his team would still lose by several touchdowns and blazoning in our minds forever the putrid phrase "Metcalf Up the Middle" -- well, we can tell you that the "genius" you're seeing in New England bears little or no resemblance to the goof we suffered through for five interminable years.
It's easy to miss this point on the surface. Now, as then, Belichick displays no social graces. He has a great mind for defense now, as he admittedly did then. But there are many subtle nuances in the job The Hoodie has done over the last several years with the Pats that indicate lessons that he learned the hard way in C-Town. Gene Wojciechowski does an excellent job in this ESPN.com article of breaking down everything that we in Cleveland observed during those painful years. In the long line of infamous Cleveland sports heartbreaks, the huge success of this man after using the Browns as a pathetic "training wheel" start to his pro career has to rank high on the list.
To the long sad list of Cleveland sports futility we must add one more: the looming specter of the first perfect NFL team in 35 years, the same franchise that has already been crowned the "team of the decade" -- coached by a man run out of the North Coast in a cloud of futility 12 years ago. Why did Bill Belichick fail in Cleveland?
The question is often posed by people who did not have an up-close seat to the sorry state of the Browns franchise in the early and mid-90s. Those of us unfortunate enough to remember the coach once known as "Bozo-Choke" purposely designing bootlegs to humiliate his starting quarterback Bernie Kosar, kicking a field goal at the end of a game that his team would still lose by several touchdowns and blazoning in our minds forever the putrid phrase "Metcalf Up the Middle" -- well, we can tell you that the "genius" you're seeing in New England bears little or no resemblance to the goof we suffered through for five interminable years.
It's easy to miss this point on the surface. Now, as then, Belichick displays no social graces. He has a great mind for defense now, as he admittedly did then. But there are many subtle nuances in the job The Hoodie has done over the last several years with the Pats that indicate lessons that he learned the hard way in C-Town. Gene Wojciechowski does an excellent job in this ESPN.com article of breaking down everything that we in Cleveland observed during those painful years. In the long line of infamous Cleveland sports heartbreaks, the huge success of this man after using the Browns as a pathetic "training wheel" start to his pro career has to rank high on the list.
Sunday, November 4, 2007
Obligatory "Game of the Decade" prediction
By Rick Morris
In just over an hour, the teams engaged in this decade's greatest rivalry will face off in the first-ever meeting of teams both undefeated this late in the season. That makes this game the greatest and most anticipated yet between the teams and explains the hype that we haven't seen in the regular season since the annual Cowboy-49'er tilts of the early and mid-'90s.
I believe that the scoring will be lower than most believe, with the defenses being able to stand tall better than many predict. In the end, I see New England getting by, as this 2007 Patriot squad is on a short list already of the greatest teams of all time -- the 2007 Colts, although superior to their championship team of a year ago and arguably better than many teams to have won a Super Bowl, are not on that super-elevated level. As a lifelong Browns fan, I am chagrined to have to agree on the final score with Bill Cowher. 31-20 Pats.
On another note, the NFL's prohibition against showing games against a home team's broadcasts has never been shown to be more asinine than today. As this map illuminates, the areas around Cleveland and Houston are not able to receive this game on television. While the NHL's broadcast situation is a joke, the NFL's isn't much better if it can't assure the entire country of witnessing the key regular season matchup of our time.
In just over an hour, the teams engaged in this decade's greatest rivalry will face off in the first-ever meeting of teams both undefeated this late in the season. That makes this game the greatest and most anticipated yet between the teams and explains the hype that we haven't seen in the regular season since the annual Cowboy-49'er tilts of the early and mid-'90s.
I believe that the scoring will be lower than most believe, with the defenses being able to stand tall better than many predict. In the end, I see New England getting by, as this 2007 Patriot squad is on a short list already of the greatest teams of all time -- the 2007 Colts, although superior to their championship team of a year ago and arguably better than many teams to have won a Super Bowl, are not on that super-elevated level. As a lifelong Browns fan, I am chagrined to have to agree on the final score with Bill Cowher. 31-20 Pats.
On another note, the NFL's prohibition against showing games against a home team's broadcasts has never been shown to be more asinine than today. As this map illuminates, the areas around Cleveland and Houston are not able to receive this game on television. While the NHL's broadcast situation is a joke, the NFL's isn't much better if it can't assure the entire country of witnessing the key regular season matchup of our time.
Thursday, November 1, 2007
Decade's most influential people in sports
By Rick Morris
As mentioned there, my companion post about the most influential people in the world during the decade to date was actually inspired by a question I posed to myself about the most influential in sports this decade. I knew who I would slot #1, and it's a name most would never associate with this list in any capacity, but I frankly don't think people can question my logic.
As with the other list, what is most important is impact for today and the future on the sports world. Honorable mention goes to Bill Belichick (most successful coach/personnel figure of the decade), Peyton Manning (king of endorsements), Barry Bonds (most divisive and thought-provoking person of the decade). With the exception of Bonds (who is one of the figures causing such a public backlash to steroids and HGH that baseball might be forced to clean itself), however, none of them have caused significant, long-term changes to the sports landscape.
Working our way up the list ...
5. Dana White. The UFC president has been on an incredible roll of late, acquiring the assets of his main rival Pride in a deal he compared, only half-ridiculously, to the AFL-NFL merger. Also, in 2006, his organization hired away Marc Ratner, the well-respected executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. This was seen, correctly, as a body blow to what has remained of the credibility of boxing. Almost all of the ills of boxing -- from the lack of a consistent TV presence to the diminishing ability to deliver "dream fights" to the proliferation of too many meaningless titles -- have been eliminated by the kingpin of MMA. He has also cleaned up the sport, instituting needed safety rules and bringing thus bringing needed respectability. In terms of entertainment impact, the UFC has supplanted Vince McMahon's tired empire as the top buyrate engine for pay-per-views. While White has much to do to advance MMA to the top tier of American sports, just the fact that he could plausibly do so in the next few years is breathtaking. Plus, with MMA having great success at the expense of boxing, it has played an important historical role in the sports world, because boxing has traditionally been such a huge part of the landscape in America.
4. Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Death transforms superstars into icons: from Elvis to Knute Rockne to James Dean, the immortality of a constant presence in the culture awaits the gifted who perish before their time. Such is the case for "Big E," whose combination of accomplishment and popularity was unrivaled in his sport. With NASCAR benefiting from the asinine circuit split in the American open-wheel universe, a large and unprecedented national TV contract and huge media attention loomed for the 2001 season even before the tragic, season-starting accident at Daytona. But the tragedy in the final turn took everything to a whole new level and was the final impetus in carrying NASCAR to the top tier of American pro sports.
3. Lebron James. LBJ represented the apex of the high school-to-NBA era, which the Association ended in 2006. But that development didn't change his level of influence at all. He was the first hoops star to be documented so heavily at such a young age; to a certain extent Greg Oden and O.J. Mayo followed in his footsteps by having large media attention so long before college. Others will assuredly follow. But recent comments from Mayo and new crosstown rival Kevin Love about emulating James' media strategies have confirmed what has long been suspected: while Lebron grew up wanting to "Be Like Mike," and admittedly hasn't yet got the titles to match "That #23," stars of these generation are embracing as a model "This #23."
2. Tiger Woods. Doubtless most will find it shocking that this global icon is not tops on the list. He certainly is the most dominant athlete of the decade along with his friend Roger Federer in tennis and has public credibility and advertising dollars out the ying-yang. And although his emergence as one of the top two golfers of all time has helped the PGA to reach a new strata financially, he hasn't had the impact across multiple sports that our top person in sports did, albeit unintentionally.
1. Matt Kenseth. This NASCAR driver won the 2003 Winston Cup championship and is a perennial title threat. But he has a relatively low public profile compared to some other drivers on his talent level. How did he earn our top spot? He did so without trying, actually. His dull 2003 slog to the title in a season in which he won only one race but accrued points in a relentless but uninspiring style was the final straw that pushed NASCAR to institute its current Chase for the Championship playoff format. From 2004 on, the final 10 races of the season have served as a playoff for the drivers who qualify in the first 26 events. This has revitalized late-season fan interest, ratings and media attention as desired and led to the adoption of a playoff format by the PGA and NHRA, both in 2007. It is entirely possible that other circuits may adopt some form of a playoff system at some point, perhaps the ATP, WTA or PBA. Speaking of other circuits, the increased success of NASCAR made possible by the Chase has led to significant defections from both major open-wheel circuits in this country and probably sealed the doom of that form of competition as a major force in motorsports. At any rate, the effects of Kenseth's much-derided coast to the championship in 2003 forever changed NASCAR, solidified it as one of the predominant forces on the American sporting landscape, provided one more body-blow to open-wheel racing, and caused other sports to mimic the revolutionary changes in his own. As such, Matt Kenseth is deservedly the most influential figure in American sports thus far this decade.
As mentioned there, my companion post about the most influential people in the world during the decade to date was actually inspired by a question I posed to myself about the most influential in sports this decade. I knew who I would slot #1, and it's a name most would never associate with this list in any capacity, but I frankly don't think people can question my logic.
As with the other list, what is most important is impact for today and the future on the sports world. Honorable mention goes to Bill Belichick (most successful coach/personnel figure of the decade), Peyton Manning (king of endorsements), Barry Bonds (most divisive and thought-provoking person of the decade). With the exception of Bonds (who is one of the figures causing such a public backlash to steroids and HGH that baseball might be forced to clean itself), however, none of them have caused significant, long-term changes to the sports landscape.
Working our way up the list ...
5. Dana White. The UFC president has been on an incredible roll of late, acquiring the assets of his main rival Pride in a deal he compared, only half-ridiculously, to the AFL-NFL merger. Also, in 2006, his organization hired away Marc Ratner, the well-respected executive director of the Nevada State Athletic Commission. This was seen, correctly, as a body blow to what has remained of the credibility of boxing. Almost all of the ills of boxing -- from the lack of a consistent TV presence to the diminishing ability to deliver "dream fights" to the proliferation of too many meaningless titles -- have been eliminated by the kingpin of MMA. He has also cleaned up the sport, instituting needed safety rules and bringing thus bringing needed respectability. In terms of entertainment impact, the UFC has supplanted Vince McMahon's tired empire as the top buyrate engine for pay-per-views. While White has much to do to advance MMA to the top tier of American sports, just the fact that he could plausibly do so in the next few years is breathtaking. Plus, with MMA having great success at the expense of boxing, it has played an important historical role in the sports world, because boxing has traditionally been such a huge part of the landscape in America.
4. Dale Earnhardt, Sr. Death transforms superstars into icons: from Elvis to Knute Rockne to James Dean, the immortality of a constant presence in the culture awaits the gifted who perish before their time. Such is the case for "Big E," whose combination of accomplishment and popularity was unrivaled in his sport. With NASCAR benefiting from the asinine circuit split in the American open-wheel universe, a large and unprecedented national TV contract and huge media attention loomed for the 2001 season even before the tragic, season-starting accident at Daytona. But the tragedy in the final turn took everything to a whole new level and was the final impetus in carrying NASCAR to the top tier of American pro sports.
3. Lebron James. LBJ represented the apex of the high school-to-NBA era, which the Association ended in 2006. But that development didn't change his level of influence at all. He was the first hoops star to be documented so heavily at such a young age; to a certain extent Greg Oden and O.J. Mayo followed in his footsteps by having large media attention so long before college. Others will assuredly follow. But recent comments from Mayo and new crosstown rival Kevin Love about emulating James' media strategies have confirmed what has long been suspected: while Lebron grew up wanting to "Be Like Mike," and admittedly hasn't yet got the titles to match "That #23," stars of these generation are embracing as a model "This #23."
2. Tiger Woods. Doubtless most will find it shocking that this global icon is not tops on the list. He certainly is the most dominant athlete of the decade along with his friend Roger Federer in tennis and has public credibility and advertising dollars out the ying-yang. And although his emergence as one of the top two golfers of all time has helped the PGA to reach a new strata financially, he hasn't had the impact across multiple sports that our top person in sports did, albeit unintentionally.
1. Matt Kenseth. This NASCAR driver won the 2003 Winston Cup championship and is a perennial title threat. But he has a relatively low public profile compared to some other drivers on his talent level. How did he earn our top spot? He did so without trying, actually. His dull 2003 slog to the title in a season in which he won only one race but accrued points in a relentless but uninspiring style was the final straw that pushed NASCAR to institute its current Chase for the Championship playoff format. From 2004 on, the final 10 races of the season have served as a playoff for the drivers who qualify in the first 26 events. This has revitalized late-season fan interest, ratings and media attention as desired and led to the adoption of a playoff format by the PGA and NHRA, both in 2007. It is entirely possible that other circuits may adopt some form of a playoff system at some point, perhaps the ATP, WTA or PBA. Speaking of other circuits, the increased success of NASCAR made possible by the Chase has led to significant defections from both major open-wheel circuits in this country and probably sealed the doom of that form of competition as a major force in motorsports. At any rate, the effects of Kenseth's much-derided coast to the championship in 2003 forever changed NASCAR, solidified it as one of the predominant forces on the American sporting landscape, provided one more body-blow to open-wheel racing, and caused other sports to mimic the revolutionary changes in his own. As such, Matt Kenseth is deservedly the most influential figure in American sports thus far this decade.
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Alonso is the Belichick of Formula One
By Rick Morris
It's a bit under the radar in the States, but the sports world's biggest cheating scandal this week was not centering around the Greater Boston area. Fernando Alonso, the two-time defending F1 champion, was deeply involved in a shocking scandal that involved his McLaren team receiving confidential strategic information about the archrival Ferrari operation.
Alonso is the youngest two-time F1 champ in history and is chasing his amazing young teammate Lewis Hamilton for a third consecutive title. McLaren was fined $100 million for their involvement in the scandal and they were disqualified from the constructors' championship, which would have been theirs for the taking. This is a huge deal in a sport with rabid fans all over the globe.
It's disappointing that this matter has received such scant coverage in the U.S., since Formula One is the league with the most amount of money invested in it worldwide. With the chauvinism of the American sports public, and the fact that ESPN drives so much of the agenda about what matters (and they give short shrift to any organization that does not have a TV deal with it), it's sadly not surprising, though.
It's a bit under the radar in the States, but the sports world's biggest cheating scandal this week was not centering around the Greater Boston area. Fernando Alonso, the two-time defending F1 champion, was deeply involved in a shocking scandal that involved his McLaren team receiving confidential strategic information about the archrival Ferrari operation.
Alonso is the youngest two-time F1 champ in history and is chasing his amazing young teammate Lewis Hamilton for a third consecutive title. McLaren was fined $100 million for their involvement in the scandal and they were disqualified from the constructors' championship, which would have been theirs for the taking. This is a huge deal in a sport with rabid fans all over the globe.
It's disappointing that this matter has received such scant coverage in the U.S., since Formula One is the league with the most amount of money invested in it worldwide. With the chauvinism of the American sports public, and the fact that ESPN drives so much of the agenda about what matters (and they give short shrift to any organization that does not have a TV deal with it), it's sadly not surprising, though.
Have some whine with that cheesesteak
By Rick Morris
The Eagles have figured out how they lost Super Bowl 39 to the Patriots. It wasn't the pace of their play-calling towards the end of the game, which even Mel Turpin thought was lethargic. It wasn't getting out-schemed by a superior coaching staff. No, it had to be more filming shenanigans, sez they.
Look, the Patriots' cheating (and yes it was cheating, chowds) was reprehensible and they received an appropriate punishment from Commissioner Roger Goodell. And I of all people am queasy about defending Bill Belichick in any way as I am a long-suffering Browns fan who had to tolerate his arrogant inexperience in the early '90s complete with mandating bootlegs for Bernie Kosar so he could get rid of him notwithstanding the team's winning record at the time. But, come on, Eagles!
The Patriots' disregard of league rules in some specific instances should not give license for every sore loser they have trounced in recent years to cry for a mulligan. I know that Philly's championship drought has caused the same kind of blind whining and bitching all too evident in my hometown of Cleveland, but try to muster some pride!
The Eagles have figured out how they lost Super Bowl 39 to the Patriots. It wasn't the pace of their play-calling towards the end of the game, which even Mel Turpin thought was lethargic. It wasn't getting out-schemed by a superior coaching staff. No, it had to be more filming shenanigans, sez they.
Look, the Patriots' cheating (and yes it was cheating, chowds) was reprehensible and they received an appropriate punishment from Commissioner Roger Goodell. And I of all people am queasy about defending Bill Belichick in any way as I am a long-suffering Browns fan who had to tolerate his arrogant inexperience in the early '90s complete with mandating bootlegs for Bernie Kosar so he could get rid of him notwithstanding the team's winning record at the time. But, come on, Eagles!
The Patriots' disregard of league rules in some specific instances should not give license for every sore loser they have trounced in recent years to cry for a mulligan. I know that Philly's championship drought has caused the same kind of blind whining and bitching all too evident in my hometown of Cleveland, but try to muster some pride!
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