Lion's Roar

Ladies and gentlemen, I present you with the worst team in the history of professional football - The Detroit Lions!

The crazy thing is, they can get worse.

Last week, the Lions became the first NFL team to start a season 0-15, and week 17 does not look any more promising. How does below freezing temperatures at Lambeau Field sound? Not appealing, that's how it sounds. The Green Bay Packers (5-10) can even their record at home to 4-4, but fear the upset. Yes, this is going to be classified as an upset.

Rewind back to 2007 when the Miami Dolphins were riding a 14 game losing streak into week 15. It took 60 minutes plus overtime for the Dolphins to pull out a gut-wrenching victory against the Baltimore Ravens on a 60+yard pass from Cleo Lemon to Greg Camarillo. If you were watching the game on television, you might have mistaken the meaningless game for the Super Bowl. Millions saw the first Gatorade shower on national television for winning one game.

Well, now the Lions have their season's Super Bowl to play for.

It would only seem fitting if the NFL had its first winless team in 2008 follow the first undefeated team the previous year. This is strictly for the regular season of course. The New England Patriots accomplished something no other team had since the extension of the regular season - win all 16 games. Yes, the 1979 Miami Dolphins went 19-0 including the post-season, but the rules were different.

Then, you had the 1976 Tampa Bay Buccaneers finish the season 0-14, but again, the rules were different. Now, the Lions are one step away from having the torch passed on to them and it doesn't matter if it's a 14-game, 16-game, or 20-game regular season. The Lions will not be winners.

The closest they came to winning this year was a 12-10 loss at the Metrodome against the Minnesota Vikings. What about the four point loss to the Chicago Bears at Soldier Field 27-23? No, not even that was considered close. The Lions have already lost once to the Pack 48-25 during week 2, but don't expect that score to flip-flop or change for the better. No player or coach wants to be apart of the wrong side of history , but at least they'll be remembered for something, right?

This kind of game carries just as much weight just as any potential playoff battle would. It's important the Lions find a way to win. The fans especially have a way to salvage some pride, albeit the worst kind in sports. One win may look prettier than a goose egg, but it doesn't help soothe the pain of being classified as a loser. Miami can attest to being on both ends of the stick. I bet they'll say it's better to be a winner...

If the Lions lay down and get rolled by the Packers, critics and fans alike have all the right to berate and reject the team, but if they show fight and courage to try and win, you can't really take anything away from the players and coaches other than a failed season.

I guess this kind of season was bound to happen when you've been the worst team in the NFL over the last 10 years and there's been no sign of it getting any better. New stadiums, new coaches, and new players just don't seem to be working. Is there anything else to look forward to for Detroit fans in the Fall anymore?

Bring out the paper bags.

*It's official. The Detroit Lions became the first team in NFL history to lose all 16 games in the regular season since the change. Welcome to the Hall of Fame.

Going for Greatness

It's happened once in the history of the NBA. Does that help you understand how impressive this feat is?

It was the 1995-1996 season and the Rockets were coming off back-to-back championships, but someone wasn't playing basketball in the league at the time. Ever heard of Michael Jordan? His Airness? I thought you did...

It's been heralded as one of the most dominant dynasties in all of sports. The Chicago Bulls reign in the NBA during the 90s secured the team, Jordan, and a few teammates' hall of fame ballots. However, they did something no other team had.

Ever.

That was to win 70+ games.

The magical season finished 72-10 for the Bulls that year. Never mind the fact they had won the first championship of their second three-peat in an eight-year span. It was about doing something no other franchise had done, but now, company could be on the way...

The Boston Celtics are leading the pack for now. Already 26 games into the regular season, they stand at 24-2. With a second championship in the works, the Eastern Conference hardly has any contenders outside Cleveland. Let's circle back around to them a little later though. The Celtics have three of the best to play the game -- Kevin Garnett, Paul Pierce and Ray Allen. They ride a solid 16-game winning streak and have an outstanding margin of victory just over 10 points per game.

Our second bright-eyed team looking to shine even brighter is the LA Lakers. It doesn't matter that they're 21-3 right now because many considered them to be the repeat Western Conference champion before the season started. The west is a bit harder to contend in though, and even with the best home record (14-1), the Lakers still have to battle with the stiffest competition in the League. It's a good thing they have arguably the best player in the NBA -- Kobe Bryant.

Finally, the Cleveland Cavaliers (21-4) have paraded their way through the past month. They rode an 11-game winning streak on the back of Lebron James and have an undefeated home record (13-0). Did I mention that James sat out the fourth quarter in six straight games? James is second in the NBA in points per game (27.3) and hasn't scored under 25 points in the last six games.

These teams are having their way with competition. Rarely do you ever see one team clearly dominating by such an overwhelming margin of victory, but having three is unheard of. At the rate all three are going, each team will be over 70 wins by the end of the season. It wouldn't surprise me if one of them sets the new record because I fully expect all of them to reach the unthinkable.

No longer is it just a race to get to the playoffs. That won't be satisfying enough. Now, it's a race to get to 70 along the way.

*The Celtics have established themselves as the first team to ever go 27-2 in the NBA to start a season. They also are riding a current 19-game winning streak that set a new record for the club.

Pound-for-Pound

They are two of the best boxers in the world right now, and their titanic battle (which is somewhat of an ironic statement when it’s a 147-pound weight limit) will take place in Las Vegas this Saturday.

It’s no Ali – Frazer I’ll put it that way.

The World’s Greatest Boxer, Manny Pacquiao (47-3-2, 35 KO’s), and the Golden Boy, Oscar De La Hoya (39-5-0, 30 KO’s), square up for the first time in their careers. An estimated $100 million is expected to roll around Sin City and through the media waves in pay-per-view purchases. It seems like enough dough for me to have my face pounded in.

What’s most interesting, though, is this will be the first time Pacquiao fights at this weigh-in. On the contrary, De La Hoya hasn’t boxed at this level since 2001. And to think there’s actually a size advantage? Well, yes there is. The Golden Boy, at 5-foot-10 inches, is a full four inches taller than Pacquiao. He’s also six years older. Such an old man…

This is it though. It’s De La Hoya’s farewell fight. His last hurrah. The final stand.

Or is it?

Boxers, since the power of Jack Johnson in the 1920’s and the productivity of Mohammed Ali in the 1960’s, seem to always have that one last fight in them. One more round figuratively speaking.

It’s the longevity boxers seem to pride themselves in having.

It’s never wanting to back down from a challenge until enough is enough. Until you can’t walk anymore. Until the referee has to call the fight because someone can’t see out of an eye and their nose is halfway across their face.

You’ve seen it with George Foreman who came back at 45 to become the oldest boxer to win the World Heavyweight Title against a 26-year-old. Michael Moorer I guess felt like going soft on the big man. A little too soft. Big George found grills, though. He’s set for life. There’s no need to return to the ring for this man.

What about the ‘Real Deal’ Holyfield? Evander ‘retired’ from boxing in 2004 at the a

ge of 42, but he’s since returned in 2007. However, a little rust still remains on the gloves. He lost is last bout and barely lasted through the previous four. He’s been criticized for putting his career and desire in front of his health, which people fear will deteriorate in the ring before he has a chance to see 50. His missing ear is evidence he might not make it there.

Let’s bring it to someone more modern. Roy Jones Jr. was considered the ‘Fighter of the Decade’ in the 1990s. His absence from the ring in 2005 took him to a ringside position, but that wasn’t satisfying. He was fired. However, he’s since entered the ring every year up till now fighting wherever and whenever he can get a good deal. Felix Trinidad was his latest victim this past January. He’s 40 years old. Did I just say he was modern?

Ok. Here’s someone who’s at least more recent. Floyd Mayweather Jr. is only 31, but he also shied away from the ring early last year after his fight with Ricky Hatton. A two-year layoff he said. Well, at least he didn’t fudge retirement into waiting around for another fight to keep himself out of debt. Maybe the smartest of them all (or at least the brightest money-maker), Mayweather Jr. appeared in an array of other ventures like World Wide Wrestling and music singles with famous rappers. The ‘Pretty Boy’ can keep his face pretty a few years longer. His undefeated streak remains intact. That is, until he comes out of ‘retirement’ he declared earlier this summer.

That brings me back to De La Hoya.

Is this REALLY the last fight for him? Can anyone honestly believe that he’s done with putting on the gloves?

Sure there are countless other names I forgot to mention who still haven’t hung the gloves up for good. Mike Tyson may be one that jumps to the front of your mind, but he’s not even fighting professionally anymore. He can’t even fight on a school playground without giving up a round in a two-round fight.

The MGM Grand along with Golden Boy Productions (De La Hoya’s promotion company) will host the 12-round bout in front of another sell out crowd. The fight of the century it’s being called. Boxing has been able to slip a few big-name fights onto what would otherwise be another poor fight card these past few years. When are they not these days though? Whatever keeps the sport alive I guess…

The historic art is giving way, but just like all the old and out-dated boxers who keep coming back for more punishment, boxing will always be hanging around until it’s put down for good by something bigger and better at making the big bucks.

Unless you see another Ali, Foreman or Sugar Ray walking the streets, you’re much better off catching these bouts in your nearest bar than shelling out the $60 to sit at home to watch another lopsided, uneventful slap fight. Who’s the face of boxing? I’m pumped for the speed and precision I expect to see Saturday night, but maybe I’m just wishing upon a star.

Nothing lives up to the hype these days…

Take a Timeout for Style

It’s the Bloods vs the Crypts. The Reds vs the Blues. The Trojans vs the Bruins?

Sorry everyone. No gang war, but there is a storied rivalry in college football to be played. The sheer proximity of these two is enough to invoke a bloody contest and one or two brawls on the field. I mean they’re only 10 miles apart!

But here’s the real news.

Pete Carroll, the head coach at USC, came out earlier today and said his team will wear their home jerseys to the “away” game at the Rose Bowl Saturday. Traditionally, in college football (heck it’s even stated in the rule book), colleges that travel to another team’s home field have to wear white. Carroll wants to bring back the traditional cardinal red of the Trojans vs the powder blue and gold jerseys of the Bruins that were present back in 1982 when they shared the Coliseum. Oh, and he’ll have to give up two timeouts. A small slap on the hand.

Is it just me, or does it seem like we’ve heard more about what teams will be wearing this year rather than how they expect to perform on the field?

Let’s sit back and take a look at all of the different teams who decide to wear certain jerseys for games and how it affected the game.

Case #1: Georgia football

For only the third time in program history, UGA decided to wear black jersey’s for their battle with Alabama earlier in the year. 60 minutes and 41 points allowed later they found themselves with their first loss of the season.

"I don't think you do it too much, but our fans really enjoyed it [and] our players certainly enjoyed it [last year]," Richt said. "I thought of the outstanding success as far as the fans buying into the request of the seniors [to wear black] and the fans just having a ball with it. I would think they would get excited about the blackout again." http://sports.espn.go.com/ncf/news/story?id=3602063

When did coaches and players take in to account what fans bought for the game plan? I guess they forgot to add that play designed to show their appreciation for money well spent…

Case #2: LSU football

Here’s an idea. How about you take the rules, turn them around, and wear white for home games and colored jerseys whenever it feels good? The good ole’ purple and gold are no where to be found unless you’re looking at the pants or helmets of players. But if that’s not enough, whenever LSU does wear purple or gold at home their record is worse than on the road…

Case #3: Oregon football

Can it get any worse than the Ducks? There are so many combinations between the colored jerseys, helmets, pants and shoes that announcers have trouble keeping track of players on the field. Oh, and did I mention the silver lining of numbers and names on the white jerseys they have? How about the god-awful yellow helmets and jerseys with the green O? No, no, no here’s another one. How about the green helmets and jerseys, black pants and yellow shoes? Wait, wait, wait. One more. How about the white helmets, jersey, pants and shoes? There we go. Now we look like a real duck.

As we take a look at these three schools that have stood out this year, let’s not forget about the other universities that attempted to change their luck by changing their uni’s.

Florida State’s all blacks.
Clemson’s purple top.
Maryland’s all black.
Wisconsin’s all red.
Texas Tech’s red top.
Oregon State’s all black.

And those are just to name a few!

There is a trend in college football, and more recently in professional sports, to change the style up a bit. Should we wear a different color? Should we wear throwbacks? A growing fad has entered the world of sports and teams are shying away from traditional uniforms many people have become accustomed to. There are still teams out there that reject the marketing trend like Texas, Oklahoma, Texas A&M, and Alabama in college football. Color for home. White for away. Those are the rules.

It seems like a technique universities are using to boost sales and marketing, which is possibly leading to a lack of respect for the overall game. Carroll says he’ll risk giving up his two timeouts to pull of his fashion show, one for each half, but will he be saying the same thing if it’s 4th and 10 from the 30-yard-line and USC is down by 4 with 2 seconds to go? Why in the world is a head coach even bothering with how his players will look? In the future, will this mean that when a team wants to deviate from the rules harsher punishments will have to be put down to keep the integrity of the game?

A home game is a different situation because then a team is actually allowed to wear what they want, but if you’re on the road, abide by the rules. I’m all for switching up the style once a year, but when teams begin to fall into the trap of wearing something different every game, it takes away from the spectacle. Besides, universities probably have departments devoted to selection what wardrobe players will come out in on Saturdays. When it’s a distraction for the other team, use every advantage you can get within the rules, but when it distracts the team you’re on, switch tactics. In fact, I think I might put together a few wardrobe ideas for my intramural football team.

Just as long as it’s not that horrendous Notre Dame green.

Heisman Watch...Who would you vote for?

Let’s break this blog in ladies and gentlemen. Who will take home the trophy this year amid all the controversy there’s already been?

A brief history for any newbie out there, or a buffer for anyone who can’t quite get it down:

The Heisman Trophy is given to the most outstanding college football player by a select group of sports journalists. Just so everyone has an idea, these six persons are chosen as Sectional Representatives.

They are:

Dave Campbell, Waco-Tribune Herald
Southwest Representative, Waco, TX

Beano Cook, ESPN
Mid-Atlantic Representative, Pittsburgh, PA

Don Criqui, CBS Sports
Northeast Representative, New York, NY

Pat Haden, NBC Sports
Far West Representative, Los Angeles, CA

Bob Hammel, The Herald Times
Mid West Representative, Bloomington, IN

Jimmie McDowell, Mississippi Sports
South Representative, Jackson, MS

From the official Heisman website…The Sectional Representatives are responsible for the appointment of the State Representatives. State Representatives are given the responsibility of selecting the voters within their particular state. The amount of votes that a particular state is allotted depends on the size of the state and the amount of media outlets within that state. Larger states such as California and Texas will naturally have more votes than smaller states such as Vermont and Delaware.

Ahhhhhh, it feels like November all over again, but I’ll stop there so I don’t bore you with politics. Oh wait. When are we NOT politicking in college football these days? Bob Stoops and Mack Brown anyone?

I’d rant about the BCS system, but I feel like that ship has sailed for the year. I know, I know come on guys and gals…I’m a Texas man myself but let’s be honest, It’s not Oklahoma’s fault for what happened as much as we want to believe. That’s a different argument all together, and one we aren’t on. SO…

Back to whether or not this year’s Heisman will repeat (a-la Archie Griffin) or be one of 4 potential new candidates.

Let’s see who the contenders are…RING THE BELL!

FOR THE DEMOCRATS! SAM BRADFORD! (OU) (Cheers/Applause/Yes we can!)

Uh what’s that? Wrong election? What? I could have sworn though…

The sophomore is invincible. He’s got 46 touchdowns, 6 interceptions, 4080 yards and has only been sacked 9 times. Other than a QB playing for Texas Tech, Hawaii, or any other one-dimensional offense have you seen anyone put up those kinds of numbers in their sophomore season? Nope. Oh yea, he plays on the number two team in the country that has put up four straight 60-point games. He golfs, he’s a hell of a football player and he reads to old ladies. Really? Yes.

FOR THE REPUBLICANS! COLT MCCOY! (TEX) (Cheers/Applause/the Maverick!)

Damn, sorry guys. I keep falling back into this silly election metaphor. It’s almost too easy.

A player who means more to his team than anyone in the country, McCoy rebounded from an abysmal sophomore slump. 32 touchdowns, 7 interceptions, 3445 yards and a completion percentage of an unheard 77.6% just may be enough to give the 3-star recruit from Tuscola, Texas the university’s third Heisman winner. Less I forget, he accounts for over half of the offensive production for Texas and is the leading rusher with 10 touchdowns. Plus he drinks milk and saved a man’s life. Vote against that. I dare you.

AND THE INCUMBENT IS! TIM TEBOW (UF) (Get him out of office/No more!)

Come on guys, bear with me. Isn’t this what people would be yelling at a convention?

Sure the nation has heard enough of Tebow. Same goes for any defense he’s playing against. 25 touchdowns, 2 interceptions, and 12 touchdowns running for the first ever QB to run for 20 and throw for 30 touchdowns in one year looks to make his final stand for reelection after the SEC Championship game in Georgia. In a day where the spread offense was built by quarterbacks such as Michael Vick and Vince Young, Tebow perfected the style. Hell, he even invented his own play near the endzone! How can you not like a guy who devotes his free time to missionaries instead of frat parties?

I leave off anyone else because frankly, we all know they have no chance above these three. Graham Harrell (TT), Michael Crabtree (TT) and Javon Ringer (MSU) all have a shot at winning their respectable individual trophies, but not this one; unless you convince me otherwise…

So how in the world do you decide who wins? Bradford looks to be on top, and I’m sorry to say as a Texas fan he will probably win it. His team is just in a better position later in the year to give him the opportunity to one-up everyone else.

What’s that you say?

Is someone stealing a Heisman from Texas?

Noooooooooo, never! Yes, yes remember 2005? Reggie Bush (USC) and Vince Young? Doesn’t this year just feel like déjà-vu all over again?! I mean come on Texas fans. In 2004 Texas goes to its first Rose Bowl and barely edges Michigan (for those who forgot) and then plays again at the Rose Bowl for a National Championship. I’m just sayin’…

It’s that time again though. A week before all ballots are in be sure to campaign for the athlete you feel is most deserving of the most coveted individual trophy in college sports. Let’s hear who you would vote for and why? Anyone else not on this list you think should at least be invited? (Come on, we know one of these three is going to win it but I’ll give your deserved argument)

Who will be labeled the best this year? Vote now! Democracy depends on it!

Please Indulge...My Treat

I'd like to welcome everyone to my blog!

Here, I will do my best to highlight controversies, disputes and debates in the wide world of sports. People have opinions, and I feel like it's time we had a place to share them intelligently and concisely for everyone to hear. Argue with facts, bring it with stats, and be ready to defend yourself because I won't hesitate to call you out on something you can't back up. I'm done reading child's play on forums or hearing "professional analysts" who work at ESPN stick to one side. The real voice comes from us.

Stay tuned for the beginning of what you've been waiting for...