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Misery
Loves Company The Carolina Panthers have always strived to be remembered and admired like some of the great franchises in the NFL. Right now, they can find themselves side-by-side with the mighty Dallas Cowboys. "America's Team" and the "Pride of the Carolinas" can be found tied at the hip....they're both in last place of their respective divisions, and both of them have embarrassing 1-6 records. Every team in the NFC has won at least two games, with the exception of Dallas and Carolina. For Carolina, it's disappointing but not totally unexpected. Coming into the season, you knew there would be issues and questions after an off-season of going cheap and young. Don't get me wrong; I thought they would go 7-9...and I expected them to be better than 1-6....but this season was lost long before the opening kick-off in the new Meadowlands Stadium in September. For Dallas, it's a different story. Jerry Jones and Cowboy Nation talked about hosting and winning the Super Bowl in their incredible football complex, but now it looks like a punch-line of a bad joke. The Cowboys are littered with big-time players and stars, but the 1-6 record has got to be one of the biggest surprises at the halfway point of the NFL season. Nobody saw this one coming, even if you hate the Cowboys. While the NFC looks completely wide-open and up for grabs, it will be interesting around these parts to see if the Panthers fight for their lame-duck coach, or if they throw in the towel and position themselves for what looks to be a Top 5 draft pick next April. The Chase for the Cup has three races to go, and it looks like a 3-man race coming down the stretch between leader Jimmie Johnson, Denny Hamlin and Kevin Harvick. I'm fascinated to see if the tight standings will ignite a fan base that has apparently found something else to do with their time and money. The TV ratings have tanked and the empty seats at the tracks are startling. I enjoyed watching the end of the race at Talladega, but that track always produces amazing endings and restrictor plate racing is a different beast. If the the last three races don't move the meter, NASCAR really needs to readdress their Chase for the Cup. I'm writing this post before the start of Game 4 of the World Series.....but it should come as no shock that the SF Giants are going to make this a tight series. I knew I shouldn't get too giddy after the Giants jumped on Texas early in the first two games of the World Series. My beloved Giants have played great to get this far, and they even have an amazing 11-0 record at AT&T Park against the Rangers, along with home field advantage, but if you thought San Francisco was going to go down to Texas and make it look easy....you don't know the SF Giants. Texas is good...they can hit....and they love it at home. If my guys don't win Game 4, I don't expect them to beat Cliff Lee again in Game 5......that means they go back to the Bay having to maintain perfection to win their first title since 1954 and first while located in San Francisco. It won't be easy.....especially if they lose Game 4. Torture, indeed. The Charlotte Bobcats have started the season by losing their first three games. Michael Jordan claimed that this is a playoff team, despite some shaky off-season moves.....the owner also claimed he could pour in triple digits against the league with today's rules and style of play. I've watched portions of all three games so far this season, and I think Larry Brown and Co. better pull another rabbit out of the hat and make a deal....they have serious issues in a couple of areas. What's more frustrating is knowing that with Miami, Orlando and Boston improved and loaded in the East....just what is there to get overly excited about, if the best you can do is finish 6th, 7th or 8th? Last year, the Bobcats were swept right out of the playoffs....I'm hard-pressed to believe they can do better than that, after watching them play a handful of games.....unless they can make a big deal. |
Packman
on Sports Commentary
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