Crazy Finish in Sac-Town!

Sacramento Kings second-year guard Tyreke Evans pulled off a crazy shot to win the game last night against the Memphis Grizzlies - moments after guard Rudy Gay hit a sideways fade-away shot with two seconds left in the game.

Crazy Cleveland Play

The Cleveland Browns, trying to surprise the Ravens today, pulled off this gadget play during their game early in the first quarter:






So, this is what happened:

• The Browns changed their offensive formation
• Backup quarterback Seneca Wallace took the snap
• Wallace pitched the ball to stud running back Peyton Hillis
• Hillis, on a double-reverse, flipped the ball to Mohamed Massaquoi
• Massaquoi then threw a 30-yard pass to seldom-used wide receiver Terry Robeskie for a TD

Unusual Technical

This might be a day late, but this happened during Christmas Dayyesterday during the Boston Celtics - Orlando Magic game:



You don't see that type of a Technical Foul every day, you know. Like commentator and ex-Grizzlies head coach Hubie Brown said during the game, I have always known this minor rule, but NEVER have seen it in action prior to yesterday. Dwight Howard should have known better. But it's unlikely that he would have made the free throw.

Every Monday, I will show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com.

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Fat Guy on the Loose!

During the first half of today's Packers-Patriots game, Offensive Guard Dan Connolly ran 70 YARDS on a kickoff return!

Don't believe me? Well, then, have a look:





Here's what Ravens' stud running back Ray Rice had to say about the play:

Haha! "Holding the ball like he was holding a loaf of bread!"

Exciting Ending in East Rutherford

If you did not see or hear about how the Eagles - Giants game ended, then here it is:

First, some background:

• Eagles were trailing 24-3 at halftime
• Both teams were 9-4. with the Eagles winning the last match-up between the two teams

Now, for what happened:

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Blockbuster NBA Trade in the Works

A big trade involving the Phoenix Suns, the Orlando Magic and my home team, the Washington Wizards, might go down in the next couple of days.

The deal involves two NBA dunk contest champions, a power forward that is a three-point threat, Agent Zero, and one of the worst players in the NBA.

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BREAKING NEWS: McNabb Benched!

As reported by ESPN a couple of minutes ago, Redskins star quarterback Donovan McNabb is going to be benched in favor of quarterback Rex Grossman for Sunday's Week 15 game against the rival Dallas Cowboys.

What I do NOT understand is how you offer multiple draft picks for this guy, bench him in the final two minutes of a crucial game against the Detroit Lions, sign him to a multi-year contract extension, then BENCH him with three games left in the schedule! This Redskins organization has been doing some crazy stuff in recent years, and it starts from the top down.

I believe that Dan Snyder, the current owner for the Redskins franchise, has put a curse (Bad Karma) on this team for the past decade - and this is the cherry on top of that sundae.

NBA Dunks of the Year

We are not even through a third of the NBA season, yet we have seen some impressive dunks so far - from Blake Griffin's "Superman" dunk to the emotional throwdown by point guard Russell Westbrook. Here are my top seven dunks of the year:

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A Buzzer-Beater Wednesday

First came the Raymond Felton (point guard for the New York Knicks) shot right before the halftime buzzer:




Then, came the Paul Pierce (small forward for the Boston Celtics) step-back shot and the ensuing buzzer-beater by Amar'e Stoudemire (power forward for the Knicks):




If you saw the above highlight, the Stoudemire shot came after the buzzer - so, Celtics won their tenth straight game

And, finally, saving the best for last:




Yup, that was Manu Ginobili (small forward for the San Antonio Spurs) that shot the game-winning basket at the buzzer.

Fun Factoid: The Spurs and the Los Angeles Lakers are the ONLY teams to use the same starting lineup every game this season.

Great Ending to a Great Game

I saw the highlights this morning of a crazy Monday Night Football game last night between the Baltimore Ravens and the Houston Texans. (No, I am not going to talk about the Giants-Vikings game, since that was a DUD and the only news was by a player who did NOT play in the game - Hint: his name rhymes with 'carve').

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The Streak is No More!

After 297 consecutive starts (yeah, I'm very disappointed Brett Farve did not make it to his 300th consecutive start), Brett Farve is NOT going to start in tonight's rescheduled Giants-Vikings game.

That is all.

Every Monday, I will show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com.

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You Don't See This Everyday

After a 7-0 shellacking of the Washington Capitals (SIX straight losses for the Caps) by the New York Rangers, Alex Ovechkin took out his frustration on two of the Rangers' players:

Damn, That's Nasty! (Part II)

Small forward James Harden of the Oklahoma City Thunder goes coast-to-coast for a vicious slam dunk over Cleveland Cavalier J.J. Hickson:

Scary Scene in Minnesota

As you may know, the Giants-Vikings game has been postponed to Monday night at 7:20 PM (was scheduled at 1 PM today) due to the Hubert F. Humphrey Metrodome collapsing due to the weight of 17 inches of snow. FOX sports has a great time-lapse of what happened:




Frightening, don't you think?

Damn, That's Nasty!

First, the block by senior point guard Sean Mosley, then the alley-oop from Cliff Tucker to sensational sophomore forward Jordan Williams FOR THE THROWDOWN!

No More Haynesworth!

According to the Washington Post, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, the player who "plays when he feels like playing", has been: "suspended without pay for the next four games for 'conduct detrimental to the club.'"

Head coach Mike Shanahan said that Haynesworth: "repeatedly refused to cooperate with our coaching staff in a variety of ways over an extended period of time" and that he failed to play in certain defensive situations.

Where have I heard that before?

Oh yeah! Keyshawn Johnson and ex-Buccaneers head coach and current Monday Night Football analyst Jon Gruden had a feud in 2003 that led too this:

"Honestly, I'm very disappointed because I really wanted to win another championship with this team," Johnson said. "I was never Gruden's guy. He never liked me. I told him I'd rather retire than play for him in 2004. But I also told him I wouldn't be a distraction, I wouldn't go to the media with it and I didn't."

Johnson, in the tail end of the 2003 season, was suspended without pay for the final four games of the year.

Just substitute "Haynesworth" for "Johnson" in the same quote and "Shanahan" for "Gruden" and no one will know the difference!

Funniest Moment during Pats/Jets Game

Every Monday, I will show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com.

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Big Ben's Broken Nose

Ouch! After a first quarter in which Big Ben Roethlisberger got hit in the head unintentionally by defensive tackle Haloti Ngata, the Steelers' quarterback comes out with this:

Look at how crooked his nose is! The commentators were saying it was just probably a nose bleed - but after this great photo, it is clear to see that Ben's nose is more crooked than the famous San Francisco street.

C'Mon, Man!

Leon, how can you be showboating your way to the end zone, then get tripped up by the punter out of all players at the opposition's one-yard line? C'mon, man!

Funniest Moment of the Week

On Thursday night, two Pacific Athletic Conference (PAC-10) teams squared off - unranked Arizona State Sun Devils and #23 Arizona Wildcats. There were several punts by both teams in this game, but two of them stand out - one by each team. Take a look:





One of the commentators said after the second punt: "Not to be outdone by [Arizona State's] Hankin's 8-yard misskick, [Arizona's] Alex Zendejas goes for gold."

Cam Newton...an Incredible Athlete

The Heisman Trophy, given to the top college football player every year, has Cam Newton's name written all over it this year. And his Hail Mary play to end the half in the South Eastern Conference (SEC) Championship game just cemented the award.

Cam Newton is the starting quarterback for the Auburn Tigers - and, with today's dominant 56-17 victory, he led his team to a surprisingly unbeaten season (12-0) and the right to play in the National Championship game in Glendale, Arizona on January 10, 2011.

Despite all of the misfortune and off-the-field news regarding Newton, he was still able to lead his team game-after-game to victory.

Now, the play:






Talk about ending your season on a high note!

BREAKING NEWS: Adrian Gonzalez to the Red Sox

The biggest star in baseball for San Diego since Hall-of-Famer Tony Gwynn, first baseman Adrian Gonzalez is heading east, after much speculation, to the Boston Red Sox.

According to ESPN.com. Gonzalez is going to the Red Sox for three minor league players. This trade will bolster the Red Sox lineup, and, if they sign either right fielder Jason Werth of the Philadelphia Phillies or right fielder Carl Crawford of the Tampa Bay Rays, we could see a possible lineup that could rival their rival, the Yankees.

The downside to this deal would be that Kevin Youkilis, a stand-out first baseman for the Sox, would move to third base - a position he has only played 24% of the time (338 times at 3B / 1390 times as a position player) during his three-year career for the Red Sox.

The pros for the Padres would be that they would be getting three young prospects - a year after having an aging lineup with shortstop Miguel Tejada (36 yrs old); pitcher Jon Garland (31); catcher Yorvit Torrealba (32); second baseman Scott Hairston (30); and pitcher Chris Young (31) - all of which who will NOT be with the team in 2011.

The cons for the Padres would be that they lost veteran prospects, and will also be losing a MAJORITY of their fans. The Padres were in first place in the National League West division for most of the season last year - mainly because of strong hitting by Gonzo and excellent pitching. Now that is gone, so they are now in a rebuilding mode. On top of that, San Diego is located near Mexico, and Gonzo attracted the latino fanbase for the Padres.

I would say that the Red Sox got the better end of the deal, but it's WAY TOO EARLY to make a correct decision - not until the All-Star break will we be able to make a definite conclusion.

Guess Who Won the 2022 World Cup?

The most SHOCKING news of the day has NOTHING to do with LeBron, the NFL, or baseball - it has to do with a timeless classic - the World Cup.

Yeah, it's not until another 12 years from now, but the FIFA union revealed the winners of the 2018 and the 2022 World Cup moments ago. The winner of the 2018 World Cup was Russia (no surprise), but the big winner for 2022 was... (Drumroll, please...) NOT the United States!

Qatar has won the right to host the 2022 World Cup. At first glance, you ask, "Where is Qatar?" It is on the Saudi Arabian Peninsula, bordering the Persian Gulf:

My first reaction was that Qatar MUST have bribed their way into getting the World Cup, since they wallow in money. The United States has tried DESPERATELY to host the World Cup in recent years, and has failed to do so. Quite baffling to me.

Come 2022, we should DECIMATE the Qatar team (if we should face them, since the host country gets an auto-bid for the World Cup).

You Gotta Love Sports!

If you were watching the Monday Night Football postgame, or know about the Derek Anderson tirade, then this post is for you. If you don't know, lemme fill you in: after the dismal loss to the 49ers in which the Arizona Cardinals showed little effort, Cards' quarterback Derek Anderson was asked about why he was laughing/smiling with his teammate Deuce Lutui during the third quarter of the game:





And, yesterday, after an NBA game between the Orlando Magic and the Detroit Pistons (Orlando won), all-star center Dwight Howard went on his own tirade, mocking Anderson:

Minor Melee in Miami

I just heard about this a few minutes ago: Hilton Armstrong, a backup power forward for the Washington Wizards and ex-Wizard and current Heat backup power forward Juwan Howard (yeah, he's STILL in the league) were both EJECTED late in the third quarter of today's match.

So, you think these players are scrubs, but I wanted to know what happened, so here it is:





So, Armstrong got called for a flagrant-2 foul that merited an automatic ejection, and Howard got ejected for protecting his teammate, Joel Anthony. I feel sorry for Armstrong, since he was trying to pull up Anthony after that hard foul and instead gets a vicious push in the back by Howard.

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com.

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Stevie Johnson and God

During overtime between the 2-8 Buffalo Bills and the 8-2 Pittsburgh Steelers, stud Bills' wide receiver Stevie Johnson had the GW 40-yard touchdown catch for the win... but he DROPPED the pass. After the game, he blamed who else but God for the disappointing loss:

Here's the play:

A Tussle in Texas

The feisty cornerback Cortland Finnegan for the Tennessee Titans was involved in a big-time brawl between him and star wide receiver Andre Johnson of the Houston Texans. Just watch the boxing fight:

Impressive Play of the Week

The Play of the Week goes to the Oklahoma State defense (I know, it's a surprise when a Big-12 defensive play is noteworthy) and Broderick Brown. (Note: you normally see this in the backyard, not during a college football game)

Terrific Torrey Smith

If you have not heard of Torrey Smith, let me fill you in. He's the dynamic sophomore wide receiver for the rising Maryland Terrapins football team - and he had a career performance against the North Carolina State Wolfpack today. Smith had 4 catches, 224 yards and 4 touchdowns - an awesome performance by the standout wide receiver in the final game of the regular season!

R.I.P. Sean Taylor

It's already been three years since one of the greatest safeties in the NFL passed away on November 27, 2007. Pittsburgh Steeler safety and ex-Redskin Ryan Clark said it best:

Here's a nice tribute video of the late, great Sean Taylor. Rest In Peace, #21.

Reno...Where BCS Hopes go to Die

Amazing game between then-#4 Boise State Broncos and the #19 Nevada Wolfpack. The Broncos were 10-0, while the Wolfpack were 10-1 heading into the penultimate game of the season.

If Boise State won, they would have a sure-fire chance in the BCS championship game in Glendale, Arizona (the Fiesta Bowl). If Nevada won, they would knock off a prominent #1 contender.

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Bye, Bye, Elton Brand!

During the late stages of the Philadelphia 76ers - Washington Wizards game (a matchup of two TERRIBLE teams - a combined 8-19), there was a critical play made by the 76ers that changed the game:

Yes, during the final minutes of the fourth quarter, in a close game, power forward Elton Brand committed an awful Flagrant-2 foul that merited an ejection on JaVale McGee. This moment changed the game around, since the Wizards were able to come back from a fourth quarter, 15-point deficit to WIN the game in overtime.

The best part about the play - seeing a sprawled-out McGee smile as he waves goodbye to Brand.

Try Understanding This!

My thanks go to MidwestSportsFans:

 If you do not understand this above diagram, then look at the below explanation:

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The Ball Bounces the Cowboys Way

Just watch the video and see how lucky the Cowboys got yesterday:



I believe that touchdown was the turning point in yesterday's Lions-Cowboys game, since the 'Boys were trailing 12-7 up to that point, and ended up winning, 35-19, allowing only one TD from that point onward.

2010 NL MVP - Joey Votto

In a surprising landslide, Cincinnati Reds first baseman Joey Votto won the NL MVP vote over incumbent St. Louis first baseman Albert Pujols. It's unusual to see the winner of the 'last vote' for the All-Star game to be the NL MVP:

Congratulations, Joey Votto!

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com.

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Rock 'Em Sock 'Em Seymour

Do you remember that old 1960's game where there were two robots - one blue and one red - in a yellow-colored fighting ring, and you had to push two buttons down on the sides of the ring for the punching of each other to start?

Well, in yesterday's Pittsburgh Steelers - Oakland Raiders game, Raiders' defensive end Richard Seymour was one of these robots that was ejected from the game after a knock to Roethlisberger's chin:



You don't see ejections happen very often - I think it occurs about once a year - but, man, Seymour will be hearing from the League Office about that sock to Roethlisberger - it was unnecessary from a really talented veteran defensive player.

A Legal Hair-Pull

During the Detroit Lions - Dallas Cowboys game, the Cowboys were down near the goalline. Kitna, the quarterback, decided to hand-off to running back Marion Barber, who had his hair pulled down by Lions' defensive tackle Ndamukong Suh - a VERY legal play. The referees, however, thought otherwise, and called a horse-collar penalty (15 yard penalty) on Suh. Unbelievable.



That play reminded me of a VERY similar play between the Kansas City Chiefs and the Pittsburgh Steelers. Troy Polamalu was returning an interception, and on the run-back, had his hair pulled down by former Chief and Washington Redskin Larry Johnson:

Blake Griffin... A Man-Child!

Blake Griffin, a Power Forward for the Los Angeles Clippers, had an AMAZING performance last night - putting up a career-high 44 points AND 15 rebounds in a monstrous, losing effort against the New York Knicks. Enough cannot be said about one of the premier forwards in the NBA - I'll be VERY surprised if he's NOT in this year's or future all-star games. He's running away with this year's ROY (Rookie Of the Year) award so far.





More after the jump:

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Eva Longoria Divorces Tony Parker

I know this is not really sports-related, but I have referred to both Longoria and Parker (separately) in one of my posts, so it's worth mentioning them again. Sad that they are separating - after marrying on 07/07/07 - a day that was remembered for 'Good Luck.'

 

At least, we have this to look back on:

A Rant That You Should Hear:

By Chad Dukes, a radio broadcaster for The Fan (106.7 FM) for Washington D.C.:

The Michael Vick Experience

Just watch the video:

Redskins get Run Over By Eagles

This Redskins fan and commenter on Redskins Insider said it best:

"How is it that John Gruden in the broadcast booth knows that the Eagles would have Vick sprint out of the pocket to make passes and mentioned this before the first Eagle play where Vick did exactly that and throw a touchdown pass? Also, how did Gruden know on the Eagles second possession that they were going to do a double reverse because of field location. He predicted this right before the play when they did exactly that. How do broadcasters know the offense of a team we are playing and our coaching staff does not? How can you prepare for two weeks and NOT know what the heck the offense is going to do, but a broadcaster does? Another Daniel Snyder-lost-season. It will be followed by at least five more since we gave McNabb (who still can't hit short passes) a five year extension."

 - atfsr0416

Best Quote of the Week

By Chad Ochocinco - formerly Chad Johnson - on Twitter: 

The Hot-Shot Suns Live by the Three-Ball

If you heard about last night's Los Angeles Lakers - Phoenix Suns game, then you know what I am talking about. Yesterday, the Suns went 22 for 40 from the three-point line (55%) - and one made-three-pointer from way from tying the record for most three's made in a game.

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com. (Like NFL teams, last week was my bye week - hence why there was no "Top NFL Players of the Week" last week)

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A Fantastic Florida Finish!

Everyone expected the Jacksonville Jaguars - Houston Texans game to be high-scoring, since these are two of the worst pass defenses in the league. But I doubt anyone expected the end to be such a thriller. With the game tied at 24 and the Jags at their own 49-yard line, quarterback David "I'm Not Mobile" Garrard unloaded a 49-yard HAIL MARY pass - that got tipped and caught by wide receiver Mike Thomas (who I predicted to have a HUGE game, which he did - 149 yards and 1 TD).




By the way, I LOVE the emotion of the CBS play-by-play commentator Gus Johnson!

A Wisconsin Wallop

When I saw the score between the Wisconsin Badgers and the Indiana Hoosiers on the ESPN bottom line, I thought I was seeing the basketball game between the two Big Ten schools:

83-20? With their star running back out with a leg injury? Wow. Just wow. Wisconsin has quietly been creeping into the Top-10 with an impressive 9-1 record. Watch out for these Badgers!

I wonder how many pushups Bucky did during the game?

Where's the Love?

I just saw the box score between the New York Knicks and the Minnesota Timberwolves - and this jumped right at me:

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NFL Player of the Week

My award goes to the dynamic, diminutive rookie Oakland Raider wide receiver Jacoby Ford (from Clemson University), who single-handedly carried his team over the high-flying Kansas City Chiefs, with 6 catches for 148 yards - including TWO HUGE catches, one on the last drive to start overtime (ripping the ball from the cornerback) and another (a 40-yard bomb that he caught on a slant pattern) to seal the deal in OT - AND a 94-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. WOW. Just wow.

Funny Moment of the Week

Just watch as you see a 300-pound defensive tackle attempt an extra point attempt. Quite amusing, I must say.




Now, this is how an extra-point is made if your kicker goes down with an injury (wide receiver Wes Welker attempts the PAT (point-after-attempt):

Les Miles... The Mad Hatter

The turning point of the #6 Alabama - #10 LSU game occurred when there was ten minutes left in the fourth quarter, with the Crimson Tide leading 14-13. The Tigers had just come up short on a third-down run - resulting in a fourth-and-one around the Tide 20-yard-line. That's when the 'Mad Hatter' once again pulled a rabbit out of his hat. The common play would be to tack on the field goal and lead by two.

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Randy Moss Has Been Released!

My question to you is... should the Washington Redskins put a waiver claim on him? Here are my reasons:

1) It's the Daniel Snyder way of adding players to the team - he goes after high-profile veteran players who do excellent with their previous team but stink as soon as they play w/ the 'Skins. Also, these players carry a lot of baggage - see Sanders, Deion; Archuleta, Adam; and Smith, Bruce.

2) Outside of Moss and young semi-proven Anthony Armstrong, we are VERY thin at wide receiver - we have been for some time now. We need a tall, big-play wide receiver after we inexplicably released Devin Thomas.

3) Who would NOT like the fact of seeing a Moss on one side of the field and ANOTHER Moss on the other side of the field? There are so many Jacksons and Johnsons and James on one team - why not Moss?

We, the Redskins, have a chance in getting him, since Moss will be put on waivers tomorrow - the order of the waiver claims goes from the worst team (the Buffalo Bills) to the best team (the New England Patriots). Out of the teams that want him, only the Rams and the Raiders have a worse record than the 4-4 Redskins.

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com

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The Great Runs of Blount and CJ2K

The first goes to rookie Tampa Bay running back LeGarrette Blount (the infamous Blount that made the punch felt 'round the world last season for the Oregon Ducks). Watch and be amazed:







The second goes to the elusive Titans' running back stud Chris Johnson, who pulled a college-level play during the Titans-Chargers game:

McNabb Gets Benched in Redskins Loss

I found this great comment from a Washington Post Redskins Insider reader regarding the benching of McNabb:

"I'll bet you that McNabb gave Kyle some crap on the sidelines or on the headset and Kyle ran to dad. Dad got upset and benched McNabb. Only possible scenario."

In context, the Redskins, down by two at the two-minute warning of the fourth quarter, decided to sub in a cold 'Sexy Rexy' Rex Grossman against a feisty Lions defensive line. This is what happened instantly:

Rondo's 24 Dimes : : AND a Triple-Double!

Just watch the video!

This Video is Awe-some!

R.I.P. Paul the Octopus

LeBron's New Ad

On the Eve of the 2010-2011 NBA season beginning, Miami Heat Forward LeBron James has unleashed a new video that has now gone viral:

Top NFL Players - Week 7

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com

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Punter Runs Wild!

In the biggest upset of Week 7 in the NFL, the punter ran for 68 yards on a fake punt. Yes, that is not a typo.



A friend of mine, who also saw the highlight, said that this might be the most the Browns' punter will have ever run in his lifetime.

DeAngelo Hall... Enough Said

Since this year is the 25th anniversary of the "Back to the Future" movie - and the fact that the local AMC theater is reairing the movie next week, I thought it would be a good idea to focus this week's NFL fantasy top players on the veteran all-stars in the NFL.

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com

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WVU Pulling a Rabbit out of a Hat

I briefly watched yesterday's West Virginia Mountaineers - Southern Florida Bulls Big East football game yesterday, and saw one play that mystified me. The head coach for the Mountaineers, Bill Stewart, is more of a conservative play-caller. Yesterday, he pulled a Boise State and called for a trick play deep in Bulls' territory - the Hook-and-Ladder. I have seen many H-&-L plays before, but none when only 8 yards near the end zone - too little space; yet, Stewart called the play, and it worked to perfection! That play was the turning point of the game, and the Bulls never came back, losing 20-6.

Look 1:44 into the video:

The NFL Carlton Dance!

I completely forgot to mention the BEST touchdown dance of the season - Lions' cornerback Alphonso Smith doing the 'Carlton Dance' after an interception of Rams' quarterback Sam Bradford for a touchdown.

The 'Carlton Dance' is a dance done by Will Smith's sidekick, Carlton Banks, in the world-renowned television show, The Fresh Prince of Bel Air. I'll let you take a look:

The Carlton Dance

The Alphonso Dance

It's the Lloyd and Floyd Show! (Top NFL Players - Week 5)

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com

Let's begin:

Quarterback:
Tony Romo (72%/100%)
31/46, 406 yards passing and 3 TD's, 3 Int's; 1 rush for 9 yards
22 Fantasy Points

Since his team, the Cowboys, were trailing throughout the whole game and their ground game never truly got going against the Titans, Romo had to throw, and throw A LOT. That is why he had his career-high in passing yards, but also threw three interceptions, including a game-sealing one late in the fourth quarter. He is still a must-start every game, even with the Vikings coming up next week.

Running Back:
Matt Forte (79.1/100)
22 Carries, 166 rushing yards and 2 TD's; 0 fumbles; 2 catches for 22 yards
30 Fantasy Points

With the Bears' main quarterback out with a concussion and the backup throwing FOUR interceptions, someone for the Bears had to step up - and that someone was running back Matt Forte. He had a MONSTER first quarter, scoring 2 touchdowns - including one for 68 yards - and nearly rushing for 100 in that one quarter alone! Forte has been a top-5 back this year, and is also a must-start against the Seahawks next week.

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The Cardiac Kids are at it again!

What a game for the Washington Redskins! Coming into this three-game stretch (at the Philadelphia Eagles, at home against the Green Bay Packers, and at home, nationally televised, against the Indianapolis Colts), I expected the Redskins to fold, as they normally do in tough stretches like these.

They played a hell of a game Sunday afternoon, enforcing their "bend, don't break" philosophy on defense, winning in overtime, 16-13 against the Packers and their potent passing offense. The co-MVP's of this game would have to go to: first-year wide receiver Anthony Armstrong (3 catches for 84 yards and 1 TD, a 48-yarder); first-year returner Brandon Banks (an explosive returner, reminding me a lot of Chicago Bear Devin Hester); and, most importantly, fourth year strong safety LaRon Landry, who has played at a Pro-Bowl level this year (13 tackles (10 solo), 1 forced fumble and one game-saving interception in OT).

Here are some notable notes about the game and future points for the Redskins:

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A Fairytale Finish in Florida!

In today's LSU-Florida matchup - a game between two top-15 teams in college football, we have seen a crazy ending to the match.

The LSU Tigers had a fourth down play at their 40 yard line with 50 seconds to go and down by three. They sent their field-goal-kicking unit onto the field and the Florida Gators' special teams bit on the play - the play was a fake field-goal-attempt, with the holder tossing the ball on a lateral to his kicker, who ran for the first down. But, wait a second. There was a booth review in The Swamp, because the referees were not sure that the toss was an incomplete pass - which would give the ball to the Gators and essentially end the game - or a lateral, which would give the Tigers enough life to stay undefeated.

Side-note: The fake field goal play was VERY similar to another one that took place three years ago against another SEC team - University of South Carolina.

2007	2010

End of Side-Note

We wait for about four minutes - what seemed like an eternity - and the result was a first down for... LSU! They quickly spike the ball with 29 seconds left, then complete a 35-yard pass (a 10-yard catch, with 25 yards after the catch). The offense ended up with a five-yard fade pass for the GW touchdown with six seconds left.

See LSU's miracle drive here:



What an ending to a exciting SEC game!

Take that, Gator Girl!

Cornhusker Wonder

Does Nebraska Cornhusker quarterback Taylor Martinez remind you of another run-first, pass-second Cornhusker quarterback? If you said ex-St. Louis Rams/Green Bay Packers/Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Eric Crouch, then you are correct.

Taylor Martinez	Eric Crouch

BREAKING NEWS: Moss Headed to the Vikings

No, I am NOT talking about the diminutive Santana Moss, nor his bro Sinorice Moss (who is on IR). I am talking about the most popular Moss - Randy Moss, who was dealt as of 9 AM this morning to the Minnesota Vikings for a third-round pick in the 2011 NFL Draft and possibly more.

From This:	To This:

Moss has been displeased at his contract situation this season - since it was the last year of his contract with the New England Patriots - and showed his displeasure after the week 1 victory over the Cincinnati Bengals, saying that he wants to be traded during a press conference after the game. The tipping point was on Monday night, when he caught ZERO passes against the Dolphins.

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Top NFL Players - Week 4

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com

Let's begin:

Quarterback:
David Garrard (5%/24.2%)
17/31, 163 yards passing and 2 TD's, 5 rushes for 4 yards and 1 Rushing TD
24 Fantasy Points

Surprisingly, this week was a down week for quarterbacks, if the overall fantasy leaders are Garrard and Detroit Lions QB Shaun Hill. Garrard's impressive performance led the team over the now-surprising 2-2 Indianapolis Colts in a thrilling 31-28 victory. He is a great spot-starter for the Jaguars, who face the woeful Buffalo Bills next week.

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The NFL Play of the Year!

I am already calling the play during the Kansas City Chiefs - San Francisco 49ers game as the NFL play of the year. It's a trick play in which the wide receiver (rookie wide receiver/running back Dexter McCluster) runs in motion towards the quarterback (in this case, the QB is Thomas Jones, who is technically a running back) and receives a hand-off from Jones. McCluster continues running parallel to the line of scrimmage and then laterals the ball to the stand-still quarterback Matt Cassel. The other wide receiver - Dwayne Bowe - is running a 'fly pattern' and catches the ball for a touchdown. The play is basically a complicated 'flea flicker.'

Too confusing? See it in action here:



Amazing, right?

Top NFL Players - Week 3

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com

Let's begin:

Quarterback:
Michael Vick (50.5%/98.3%)
17/31, 291 yards passing and 3 TD's, 4 rushes for 30 yards and 1 Rushing TD
32 Fantasy Points

The Philadelphia Eagles are on a roll with Vick at the helm. His team thoroughly dominated the Jacksonville Jaguars, and I think we all are witnessing the ole' 2006 Michael Vick now. He accounted for all 4 of the Eagles' TD's, throwing 2 to Jeremy Maclin and one to speedy Pro-Bowler DeSean Jackson. Up next, my team, the Washington Redskins. I think he'll be pumped and play a SPECTACULAR game - a..k.a. a MUST-START against my Redskins. 

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Top NFL Players - Week 2

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com

Let's begin:

Quarterback:
Matt Schaub (88.9%/100%)
38/52, 497 yards passing and 3 TD's, 1 Int
29 Fantasy Points

The Houston offense had themselves a nice ballgame, with their QB, Schaub, throwing the ball left, right, and center against the injury-depleted Redskins secondary. He is a must-start against the injury-depleted Cowboys secondary next week.

Running Back:
Jahvid Best (35.4/100)
17 Carries, 78 rushing yards and 2 TD's; 0 fumbles; 9 catches for 154 yards and 1 TD
40 Fantasy Points

Best, a rookie, had the biggest game of his career against the Eagles. Like Matt Forte's 80+ yard receiving TD in week 1, Best had a similar 75-yard screen pass for a touchdown yesterday. He's an iffy start against the run-dominant Minnesota Vikings next week.

Running Back:
LeSean McCoy (91.2/100)
16 Carries, 120 rushing yards and 3 TD's; 0 fumbles; 4 catches for 8 yards
30 Fantasy Points

Who knew that the Eagles-Lions game would have the best week 2 running backs facing off against each other? McCoy did most of the damage running the ball, while Best did his damage through the air and ground. A dominant effort by McCoy, who will be a must-start against the Jacksonville Jaguars in week 3.

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The "Little Giant" Spartans

If you were watching the end of the Michigan State Spartans - Notre Dame Fighting Irish game today, then you saw the GUTSIEST call of the year - in ANY sport.

The Spartans and the Irish were tied at 28-all heading into overtime. Overtime in college football is different from regular football, since in the NCAA's, both teams get one possession each during each OT, starting at the opponent's 30-yard line. If one team scores more points than the other team after both possessions, the team that scores the most points wins. If the game is still tied, there are then more OT's.

Back to the game. Notre Dame lost the coin toss, so they had to receive the ball (Michigan State wanted to play defense first, an advantage in college football). They could not make a first down, so they settled for a field goal. 31-28 Fighting Irish.

Michigan State had similar results. Unfortunately for them, the Spartans went backwards, setting up a fourth-and-long from the 31-yard line. Since they had a young, unreliable kicker, Spartans' head coach Mark Dantonio pulled a rabbit out of his hat - he called for a FAKE field goal, in which the holder - typically the quarterback - would pass the ball to the receiver. The play is easier said than done.





The play worked to perfection, and Michigan State won in dramatic fashion, 34-31. Immediately after the game, when being interviewed by ESPN, Dantonio said the play was called:

Unfortunately, there might be some controversy brewing regarding the outcome. The play clock reached double-zeroes right before the snap of the ball, so there should have been a delay-of-game penalty called on Michigan State - making it that much more difficult of pulling off this trick play. See for yourself:

What's your opinion of the final play of the game?

The "Pain" Heard Around the World

The controversial news in the sporting world today revolves around soon-to-be New York Yankee shortstop Derek Jeter. In the top of the seventh inning, with his team down one run - 2-1 - Jeter was up to bat. The issue is about the HBP (Hit-By-Pitch). If a batter, such as Jeter, is hit by a pitch thrown by the pitcher, he is given a free pass to first place.

I'll let you see what took place last night in Tampa Bay:




And, the Academy Award for Best Actor goes to... Derek "Cheater" Jeter!

Top NFL Players - Week 1

Every Monday, I shall show the top players at each offensive skill position - fantasy-style, with the percentage owned and started in parenthesis. All data is from espn.com

Let's begin:

Quarterback:
Peyton Manning (100%/100%)
40/57, 433 yards passing and 3 TD's, 0 Ints
30 Fantasy Points

Running Back:
Chris Johnson (100/100)
27 Carries, 142 rushing yards and 2 TD's; 0 fumbles; 4 catches for 8 yards
26 Fantasy Points

Running Back:
Matt Forte (100/88.3)
17 Carries, 50 rushing yards; 1 fumble; 7 catches for 151 yards and 2 TD's
30 Fantasy Points

Wide Receiver/Running Back (Flex):
Arian Foster (100/79.8)
33 Carries, 231 rushing yards and 3 TD's, 0 fumbles; 1 catch for 7 yards
41 Fantasy Points

Wide Receiver:
Miles Austin (100/100)
10 Catches for 146 receiving yards and 1 TD
20 Fantasy Points

Wide Receiver:
Hakeem Nicks (100/25.6)
4 Catches for 75 receiving yards and 3 TD's
25 Fantasy Points

Tight End
Dallas Clark (100/99.1)
11 Catches for 80 yards and 1 TD
14 Fantasy Points

Kicker
Mason Crosby (100/96.3)
2 for 2 on Field Goals; 3 for 3 on Extra-Points
12 Fantasy Points

Defense/Special Teams
Seattle Seahawks (1%/0.1%)
2 Ints for 52 yards and 1 TD; Allowed only 49 rushing yards
19 Fantasy Points

TOTAL Fantasy Points: 217

Yet Another Blown Call

If you heard or watched the last minutes of the Chicago Bears - Detroit Lions game, then you know what I am talking about - Calvin Johnson (a.k.a. Megatron) making the catch of the year to win the game, but it wasn't so.

The Lions were down by five points - 19 to 14, and were in Bears' territory with second-and-ten. I'll let you be the judge and see if the play was made my Megatron:



Mike Pereira, the former NFL head of Officiating, analyzed the play and discussed the fact that it could've been a touchdown... I think it was. Had the play been overturned after review, the Lions would've, and should've won.

What a Comeback!

It's a Friday night in my dorm, and I am watching the West Virginia - Marshall game. Throughout, Marshall's defense has dominated - I mean, DOMINATED - this game - until the last five minutes of the fourth quarter. The score was 21-6 Marshall when the West Virginia Mountaineers came storming back with stud running back and future NFL star Noel Devine (who has the most rushing yards in the program's storied history).



 (I have to include this video, since it involves my Maryland Terps get thrashed in '07)

The Mountaineers, despite committing costly false-start and holding penalties, still hung on, barely. The drive started on their OWN two-yard-line. With 30 seconds left and ball on the Thundering Herd 10-yard-line (21-13 Marshall during this drive). Marshall's defensive players caused the Mountaineers to backpedal, and time was ticking... 20 seconds left, and the young West Virginia quarterback Geno Smith calls a hurry-up offense while Marshall's players were celebrating. Calm and cool under pressure, Smith lofted a touch pass to the back of the end zone... for a TOUCHDOWN! 21-19, with UWV coming back! They make the two-point conversion to tie the game and send it to overtime.


Temporary Video of Game is HERE! 

The touchdown seemed eerily reminiscent to the 2009 Vikings-49ers game, with the pass by Favre to tight end Greg Lewis at the buzzer..





Overtime of West Virginia-Marshall Game:

• West Virginia starts with the possession
• They lose yards on their possession
• End up kicking a field goal
• Marshall gets ball
• On a throw to the running back, Marshall ends up losing yards
• On third down, they get back most of the yards on a slant to the wide receiver
• Fourth down, they MISS a game-tying field goal - shanked right

Game Over, West Virginia WINS!!!

Superman!

After watching Maryland's thrilling victory over Navy on Labor Day, I saw a play that caught my eye and reminded me of two plays that happened in the past years in college football. It was a play that was the #1 top play on Tuesday's Sportscenter, and was the #3 play for best college football plays of the opening weekend.

The gameplan for the play was simple - stop Navy quarterback Ricky Dobbs and his triple option offense at the goalline. Instead of tackling Dobbs, senior linebacker Adrian Moten pulled a Superman move, sacked Dobbs, and, because of this, startled Dobbs and caused him to fumble. Although Maryland punted on its ensuing possession, the play of the day was made by Moten.





This play reminded me of two similar plays in the past - the one by Roy Williams (the ex-Cowboy, not the current one) - and by ex-Redskin and Penn State alum LaVar Arrington.

Roy Williams



This play was better because:

a) The play was in the offense's own goal-line
b) The ball magically popped into the defensive lineman's hands

LaVar Arrington



This play was just, plain and simple: ferocious. It's like Goliath jumping on top of tiny David in the old tale between the two characters.

Which Superman play was best?

Watch out for this Trio!

BREAKING NEWS!

TJ Houshmandzadeh, formerly of the Seattle Seahawks and known for being a possession receiver for the Cincinnati Bengals, has signed with the Baltimore Ravens for a one-year deal worth $855,000.

This deal allows the Ravens to become an even more dynamic team offensively, with probably the BEST offensive playmakers in the entire NFL! They signed WR Anquan Boldin in the offseason, then brought WR Donte Stallworth (who suffered an injury in the preseason and will miss the first two months of the regular season) and still have reliable wideout Derrick Mason and top three running back in the NFL in Ray Rice.

Name me one team who has better pass-catchers than the Baltimore Ravens:

TJ Houshmandzadeh



Anquan Boldin



Derrick Mason

A Crazy day for Carolina!

I just saw one unbelievable play that occurred in college football today. East Carolina University was against Tulsa University - and boy, what a finish in this high-scoring affair!

ECU was trailing, 49-45, with five seconds left in the game. They had possession of the ball at the Tulsa 33 yard-line. It was fourth-down and ten, but a field goal was unnecessary. The ECU quarterback made a Doug Flutie-esque play... and, well, I'll let you see the finish:

(ECU is in purple)



Unbelievable way to start the opening game and season for ECU... I wonder what's in store for them this season.

As some of you may know, the last preseason game for all NFL teams was on Thursday, and the deadline to cut 20-some number of players was yesterday, at 6 PM EST. Teams after this final preseason game had 80+ players, and they had to trim their rosters down to 53 before Saturday in order to get ready for the regular season.

If you have been following my blog in early August (during training camp and before preseason games began), I made my own predictions on the final 53 men that will be playing with the Washington Redskins during the 2010-2011 season. Let's see my predictions:

(Bold indicates he made the team. strikethrough means the player got cut/traded/placed on IR. Italics are new players that made the team)

Quarterbacks

QB1: Donovan McNabb
QB2: Rex Grossman
QB3: Colt Brennan Received John Beck from Ravens in trade

Running Backs

RB1: Clinton Portis
RB2: Larry Johnson
RB3: Ryan Torain Placed on the Practice Squad; Keiland Williams made the team instead

Fullbacks

FB1: Mike Sellers
*FB2: Darrel Young*

I guess they wanted a good backup and blocking fullback in case Sellers goes down.

Tight Ends

TE1: Chris Cooley
TE2: Fred Davis
TE3: Dennis Morris cut; Logan Paulson made the team

Wide Receivers

WR1: Santana Moss
WR2: Devin Thomas
WR3: Joey Galloway
WR4: Malcolm Kelly Placed on IR w/ recurring hamstring injury; Anthony Armstrong made the team
*WR5: Roydell Williams*
*WR6: Brandon Banks* Made the team as a Punt Returner


Offensive Line

LT1: Trent Williams
LT2: Will Robinson Placed on Practice Squad; Kory Lichtensteiger made the team

LG1: Edwin Williams Cut
LG2: Derrick Dockery

C1: Casey Rabach

RG1: Artis Hicks
RG2: Chad Rinehart Cut; Will Montgomery made the team

RT1: Jammal Brown
RT2: Stephon Heyer

Left Defensive End

L DE1: Adam Carriker
L DE2: Philip Daniels
L DE3: Vonnie Holliday


Nose Tackle

NT1: Maake Kemoeatu
NT2: Albert Haynesworth
NT3: Anthony Bryant


Right Defensive End

R DE1: Kedric Golston
R DE2: Jeremy Jarmon
R DE3: Darrion Scott Cut

Left Outside Linebacker

L OLB1: Brian Orakpo
L OLB2: Chris Wilson
L OLB3: Curtis Gatewood


Left Inside Linebacker

L ILB1: London Fletcher
L ILB2: H.B. Blades
L ILB3: Perry Riley

Right Inside Linebacker

R ILB1: Rocky McIntosh
R ILB2: Chris Draft Cut
R ILB3: Robert Henson Cut; Could've been placed on IR

Right Outside Linebacker

R OLB1: Andre Carter
R OLB2: Lorenzo Alexander
R OLB3: Rob Jackson Cut; But WILL be on the practice squad

Left Cornerback

L CB1: Carlos Rodgers
L CB2: Kevin Barnes
L CB3: Philip Buchanon


Right Cornerback

R CB1: DeAngelo Hall
R CB2: Justin Tryon Traded to the Colts for a future draft pick
R CB3: Byron Westbrook

Strong Safely

SS 1: LaRon Landry
SS 2: Kareem Moore On the team, but is out for 6 weeks due to injury;

Free Safety

FS 1: Chris Horton
FS 2: Reed Doughty

Kicker

Graham Cano

Punter

Josh Bidwell

Long Snapper

Nick Sundberg

Kick Returner/Punt Returner

Santana Moss/DeAngelo Hall  TBA/Brandon Banks

So, I was 37/53 (barely a 'C'). Okay, but not great. Here's the breakdown by position:

Quarterback: 2 for 3
Running Back: 2 for 3
Full back: 1 for 2
Tight Ends: 2 for 3
Wide Receivers: 3 for 6
Offensive Line: 6 for 9
Defensive Line: 8 for 9
Linebackers: 8 for 12
Safeties: 4 for 4
Special Teams: 3 for 5

Average, at best, I must say. But who is ready for Sunday Night Football? Only 7 more days!

What a Fracas in Florida!

Nyjer Morgan, the speedy centerfielder for the Washington Nationals, got himself into a heap of trouble tonight. The Nationals were playing the Florida Marlins and were down 15-4 in the fourth inning, when Morgan got hit by a pitch by starting pitcher Chris Volstad. Instead of casually playing the rest of the inning, the feisty Morgan stole second base, then ALSO stole third base in a 11-run blowout.

A Washington Nationals fan on WashingtonPost.com said it best:

"The Fish announcers are complaining that Morgan stole bases after getting plunked the first time. Oh no!
It was the fifth inning! If one team can score 15 runs in four innings, the other one can. If you don't want him to steal bases, throw him out. One more reason to despise that franchise."

Fast-forward to the top of the sixth inning. The first pitch Morgan saw was a fastball behind him, which REALLY got him pissed-off. After a second, he charges the mound, and he and Chris Volstad throw connecting punches at each other. First baseman Gaby Sanchez (Marlins) comes charging in and completely levels Morgan, who is still throwing punches.

Take a look:

Unbelievable. Morgan will easily be suspended for 7 games, if not, more, for his actions tonight (especially cursing the crowd after his ejection). Volstad will probably get a 5 game suspension, and Sanchez possibly 3 games.

My prediction of a seven-game suspension would be added onto the past seven-game suspension he got because he was involved in another incident last month.

We shall see the end results by the end of the week.

Update (9.3.10):
Morgan has been suspended for 8 games. Volstad has been suspended for 6 games. Gaby Sanchez has been suspended for 3 games.

I was right on the money on the Sanchez suspension, but was one game off for both Morgan and Volstad. How is that for accuracy?  

Man, This Guy is Good!

Aroldis Chapman, welcome to the Big Leagues! Chapman is a rookie pitcher for the Reds (similar to Stephen Strasburg) and made his Major League debut as a relief pitcher last night against the Milwaukee Brewers.

He has unbelievable stuff, with his fastest pitch clocking at 103 mph! His slowest fastball in one inning of work was 99 mph, and repeatedly went into triple digits.

Take a look:





(Click on the picture below if you cannot see the above video)

The Reds will probably preserve him for the 2011 season, using him as a relief pitcher in the playoffs and as a starting pitcher next season, much like how the Tampa Bay Rays treated their starting ace pitcher David Price last season and this season.

Hopefully, his arm won't fall off like Strasburg's did this season...

UPDATE (9/25/10): Last night, Chapman made 24 pitches... ALL of them were ABOVE 100 mph! He's this year's version of Joel Zumaya - a relief power pitcher. Like I said before, I hope he stays healthy!

Which Shot was better?

In case you didn't hear/see the latest Rodger Federer highlight, he had done the impossible once again in the US Open in New York yesterday. The opening round games were yesterday and continuing today, as I type - but Federer's feat last night cannot be beat - or did his 2009 shot of the year surpass it? Take a look:

2010 US Open - Opening Match



2009 US Open - Semifinals against #3 Novak Djokovic



I believe that the 2010 shot was more impressive (the run-down Fed had to make, as well as the difficulty of the shot, since the ball was near the wall), and that he was under more pressure to win before he had that hit in '09.

Better Shot?: The 2010 US Open Shot of the Year

What do you think? Which shot was better, in your opinion?

Triple Play!

No, I am NOT talking about the video game series that was present in the early '00s. I am talking about one of the rarest feats in a baseball game - the triple play. It is when three outs occur on one play.

The most common of these triple plays is when there is a runner on both first and second base, with no outs, and the batter hits a ground ball to the third baseman. He would pick the ball up, step on third base, pass the ball to the second baseman standing on second base, then pass the ball to the first baseman, who has one foot on first base.

Such an event occurred in the fourth inning between the Oakland Athletics and the Seattle Mariners yesterday:

Click the picture to see how it's done!

Triple plays occur at least once a year, and the Yankees pulled off a similar one against the same Oakland Athletics in the beginning of the season:



Plays like these are fun to watch when you see them in action!