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Chicks Dig the Long Ball The Major League Baseball Playoffs have been fantastic. I can't remember a time when the LDS have left me speechless so often....it seemed as if every series had a couple moments and endings that were simply indescribable. Forget the infield fly rule fiasco in Atlanta....that was child's play compared to the Giants winning three straight in Cincy....or the countless late inning drama provided by Ibanez in the Bronx....or the ultimate comeback by St. Louis in the deciding Game 5 in Washington D.C. The games have been tremendous and it leads us to the LCS where the Yankees and Giants are off to rough starts at home. The Yankees lost Derek Jeter to injury and they've also lost homefield advantage, too. The Detroit Tigers were able to grab the first two games in Yankee Stadium and they have yet to unleash Justin Verlander. The Giants lost Game 1 to the Cardinals in San Francisco, and my beloved team has yet to capture a win at home in the post season. I don't care how good you are on the road, if you don't take care of business at home, you're not going to win the World Series. After all the drama last week, I'm not sure how MLB can top those games this week, but I know one thing....I'll be watching. The first BCS Poll was released this week, and the team on top is no surprise to anybody who follows the sport closely. The Alabama Crimson Tide finds itself alone at the top....and that's right where we saw them last year, when the crystal was being handed out in New Orleans. Some folks might be surprised to learn that the Florida Gators are #2, but given their wins to date, it shouldn't be that big of a shock. This week, Florida hosts South Carolina in a pivotal game in the SEC East race and the national title picture. Bama doesn't play the Gators in the regular season, but if they both win out, they will see each other in Atlanta for the SEC title game and a bid to the BCS title game. Oregon is #3, and the Duck fans will probably scream "SEC bias" at the computers, but it really doesn't matter. The Ducks have a tough schedule the second half of the season and if they win out, I can see them playing their way into a BCS title game. Keep in mind they still have to play at both USC and Oregon State....not to mention a Thursday night game this week at Arizona State. Kansas State is 4th, and the Wildcats will be tested this weekend at West Virginia. They will catch Dana Holgorson's team fresh off a beatdown in Lubbock. It is do-or-die time for the Mountaineers, and they better find some defense ASAP if they want to stay in the hunt in the Big XII. Notre Dame is #5, and the Irish are bringing a nasty defensive front to the party. I still don't think they have enough offense to run the table, but their "D" should keep them in every game....the Irish play at Oklahoma in two weeks. I know people will go nuts about the BCS poll....but the fun is just starting. Stay tuned...the next 7 weeks will be awesome. The Carolina Panthers had a week off....it was a perfect bookend to the month of September, which they also happened to skip. The team lost the services of Ryan Kalil, and he will be missed. The All-Pro center is not only a big-time player, but he's also the guy that placed the newspaper ad declaring the team this year's Super Bowl winners. Since Kalil is out for the year, maybe he can get a head start on the best places to stay in Disney World before the Super Bowl MVP and other Panther teammates join him for all of the festivities. Cam Newton also promoted his new brand of clothing at Belk's Department stores. That should go over well. By the time the club gets back to work, they will be 4 1/2 games behind the 6-0 Atlanta Falcons in the NFC South. The Panthers get the opportunity to host the Cowboys this weekend, and the guys from Dallas are probably in a great mood after losing a tough one to Baltimore. It's just what Carolina needs...at 1-4, it probably doesn't matter....but the team is on the brink of losing their fanbase before Halloween. Trick or Treat? We already know the answer in Charlotte. The Chase for the Cup made its appearance over the weekend in Charlotte. Clint Bowyer won the race. The big news wasn't the winner of the race or even the leader of the Cup points. The biggest news surrounded Dale, Jr. suffering a concussion and skipping the next two races in the Chase. In the big picture of things, it was a smart move on his part...but he eliminated any chances of winning the title...and he probably hurt the gate and TV ratings in the process. But I give Junior props for making the right call...you have to take care of yourself. Ironically, the race in Charlotte was the first Cup race since 1979 that did not have an Earnhardt in the field. I'll be curious to see how the TV ratings fared, given all the quality sports taking place and the fact the the sport was without its top draw. |
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