Monday, December 27, 2010

National Forecast League

    As I sit in front of my heater on this 64 degree Los Angeles afternoon I can’t help but think about how much I missed my weekly installment of Faith Hill. Thanks to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Philadelphia mayor, Michael Nutter, I have to fight traffic on a Tuesday night and pray I get home in time to watch the country starlet sing the intro to NBC’s Sunday Night Football. That’s because the regular telecast on NBC was postponed. An unexpected blizzard that dropped around a foot of snow on Philadelphia is to blame (according to Goodell and Nutter). So, the Vikings and Eagles will play the first Tuesday night football game since Brett Favre was a 19 year old college kid….(October 1, 1946 when the New York Giants beat the Boston Yanks 17-0.)
   Put the, “Brett Favre is old jokes” aside for a moment, and let’s take a closer look at this. The game was postponed early Sunday, before any snow had ACTUALLY fallen.
   “Due to public safety concerns in light of today’s snow emergency in Philadelphia, tonight’s Vikings-Eagles game has been postponed. Because of the uncertainty of the extent of tonight’s storm and its aftermath, the game will be played on Tuesday night at 8 p.m. This will allow sufficient time to ensure that roads, parking lots and the stadium are fully cleared. The National Weather Service states that a winter storm warning in Philadelphia remains in effect until 1 pm on Monday,” NFL spokesman Greg Aiello said.
    Which, surprised me because I didn’t realize you had to have an AMS stamp of approval to work for the NFL…. this comes in the same season the Vikings have had two home games affected by weather. Their game against the Giants on Dec. 12 was postponed a day after Minneapolis got 15 inches of snow. It was then moved to Detroit when the Metrodome roof collapsed. Their game against Chicago the following week was played at the University of Minnesota’s outdoor stadium because of the damaged roof….
    I understand fan safety is important, and as an Angelino that lived in the Midwest for four years I realize unplowed roads can be treacherous. But this seems like another instance of the league office flexing its muscle unnecessarily. And I’m not alone….
    Pennsylvania Gov. Ed Rendell, told KYW-TV he did "not at all" agree with the decision.
   "This is football; football's played in bad weather," Rendell said. "I think the fans would have gotten there, the subways work and the major arteries are still open, and other fans would have stayed home — but you play football regardless of the weather."
    The governor, who does football commentaries after Eagles games, also said the decision would be a "serious handicap" for the Eagles and was unfair to the team.
   "I, for one, was looking forward to sitting in the stands throughout the snow and seeing an old-time football game," Rendell said.
   Asked what Vince Lombardi would say about the decision, Rendell said "He'd be mocking us."
   Suspending and fining players for “violent” hits is one thing, but playing the role of Al Roker is quite another. And if football has become a game that can only be played on Nike Field Turf and in a 70 degree Dome away from inclement weather….then explain to me again…
WHY LOS ANGELES DOESN’T HAVE A FOOTBALL TEAM?? (Forget about the Qualcomm Pond incident..San Diego is a 3 hour drive away)
  Not that I think LA needs any more residents getting paid to play football (see USC) or would support a team (see Oakland/LA Raiders, St. Louis/LA Rams, UCLA Bruins). But we do have some pretty nice weather…..

Tuesday, November 23, 2010

What Sports Fans have to be Thankful For

Aside from trying to make up for not feeding the homeless for the first ten months of the year, Thanksgiving is also a time when Americans reflect on what they are thankful for.
These things can vary, from friends to family or just good credit, but what would the holiday be without sports?
So here is a list of what Sports fans have to be thankful for this year….

THE DETROIT LIONS
They make us all feel better about our performance in the annual Turkey Bowl. 

JUST FOR MEN HAIR DYE-
Because without it no one would have any reason to fear the beard or know who Brian Wilson is for that matter..

THE TEXT MESSAGE FEATURE
Let’s face it, thanks to text messaging Elin Nordegren and Eva Longoria are single and now Jenn Sterger is relevant again…or at least her pictures are….OMG..LOL

NBA FREE AGENCY
Because now the possibility exists that when you change jobs or companies you can have your own primetime special to decide what to do…

SOUTH BEACH
That’s the furthest place Lebron could have taken his talents from me…aside from Toronto..

VINCE YOUNG
He proves there are worse things than being in your 20’s and having a baby face….by behaving like a baby..

ALEX RODRIGUEZ
Because the Yankees need AT LEAST one overpaid steroid user..

TERREL OWENS, CHAD OCHOCINCO ,THE MINNESOTA VIKINGS & DALLAS COWBOYS
They make any dysfunctional family look like the Brady Bunch..

TIM TEBOW
 BCS
Because it means college football never really ends….because if it did that would be ridiculous…I mean who uses a playoff system and has an undisputed champion at the end of the season?

BO PELINI
Shows that Mel Gibson may not be THAT crazy, and now I can watch, “What Women Want” again on TV..

 FOOTBALL HELMETS
Okay, so not everyone in the NFL knows how to use them without getting fined, but it’s an excuse not to have to look at Tom Brady’s hair or butt chin.

MICHAEL VICK
If he can get a second chance…we all can, (This is what O.J. Simpson is hanging on to right now)

DAVID ECKSTEIN
If he can call himself an athlete, then so can you…

NIKE PRO COMBAT COLLEGE FOOTBALL UNIFORMS
The only time your significant other can ask you, how they look, where you CAN answer, “bad”.

BRAD CHILDRESS                                                                                                            
 Proves there is no such thing as a good 10th grade biology teacher…

FANTASY FOOTBALL                                                                                           
 Kidding…why would anyone be thankful for that?

LOU HOLTZ & EMMITT SMITH
Living proof that anyone can be a sportscaster…


HAPPY THANKSGIVING..TURKEYS!