Week in Review---Top 5 things you need to know

1. There is still a football team in Pittsburgh. I think that they are playing NCAA DIII, check out Robert Morris University. Maybe you can fid a highlight tape if you visit the university. Because that will probabaly be better than watching anything from the Steelers this year.

2. It is sweet as heck when you see a little school come back and win against there old coach who left them for a big school. (Thad Matta from Butler left for Ohio State a number of years ago...and got beat by the little Bulldogs that could this weekend. That should shake up the poll.)

3. 6 wins is not enough for Notre Dame Football. Best wishes Brian Kelly, who is finishing a stellar couple of years at University of Cincinnati.

4. There was a golf tournament this weekend. Yeah....that's probably as much as anybody knows about golf right now. I hope that it can be an interesting year in golf ON THE COURSE.

5. There are like 2/3 of the NFL teams still listed as Wild Cards for the playoffs. Teams with 6 or 7 wins could still have a chance to make it in. My money is on the Packers squeaking in for the NFC. The AFC is so dominated by the Colts (and WHO??? the Bengals might win their division????) that it really doesn't matter who the wild cards end up being.

Tiger...apparently he is human

So, I believe that the horse is dead where the Tiger Woods "scandal" is concerned, but here's my 2 cents, not that you asked. Let me start out by saing that I respect Tiger as an athlete, a role model, and a human being. A what? A human? Tiger? Yep. He is human, complete with all of the flaws that one might expect of your average window washer, Fortune 500 executive, and cashier at the Gap. I applaud him for his efforts to stay out of the spotlight. He did not ever seem like he enjoyed the celebrity. The man just wanted to play golf. As did Nicklaus and Palmer. Speaking purely hypothetically, I think that it is important that we note that Jack and Arnie were lucky enough not to have voicemail and text messages to record their indiscretions, if in fact they had any.

Am I disappointed in Tiger? Of course. I had him on the same pedestal that you did. Do I think we all need to move on and just let the man go back to driving a Titleist and quit worrying about him driving an Escalade? Yep. So I'm done.

Week 12

Well, boys and girls, it's week 12, and we've had time to see what everyone is all about. The Colts haven't disappointed (although they've had a few close calls), the Steelers, HAVE disappointed (and will be lucky to see any post season play) the Bengals have been a bit of a surprise (although some of us knew that once Palmer was healthy and in his groove, they were going to be a force), and the Saints have exceeded expectations. So now what?????

Here's a few predictions for the rest of the regular season:

Vikings are coming together under Brett Favre, and will experience continued success.
Colts are going to lose at least one "gimme" game.
Ravens are going to parlay their big wins into a nice, strong finish.
San Diego.....still alive. Wouldn't be surprise if these West Coasters finish up right.
The Rams and Lions will continue their battle for Tebow in the draft. Winning anymore this year for either team might prove counter productive come April....

Until next time.....

Fantasy Draft Time

First rule...get Running Backs. Second rule...have a decent back up QB. Depending on how your league is run, don't forget about defense. Top picks....Adrian Peterson, Michael Turner, Larry Fitzgerald.

Michael Phelps...you dumbass.

So some pictures surfaced over the weekend of Michael Phelps (you'll remember him as the Olympic swimmer who kicked some serious butt in Beijing). In these photos, Phelps was seen taking a hit off of a water bong, which he has admitted held marijuana. Now I don't want to get into some big anti-drug thing here...I don't really care if that's your thing and you want to do it. Whatever. But if you are an Olympian with huge endorsement deals, and a ROLE MODEL for our youth, for goodness sakes don't do it at some college party in this day, where everybody has a camera phone! For the record, I think it's a shame that this man whose body really is a temple would destroy it in such a way. But the stupidity of being in the situation he was in and making the decision to partake is inexcusable. Should athletes be held to a higher standard? You betcha. If you are out there in the public eye, remember that there is some 10 year old with a poster of you on his wall who wants to grow up to be JUST LIKE YOU. I'm thankful right now that I am not a parents who has to hear "But Michael Phelps does it." after catching my kid with drugs. Come on, Phelps. You're better than that.

The Terrible Towel

Watch any Pittsburgh Steelers game, and you are bound to see the bright gold "Terrible Towel" being waved around by the fans...or the team...or the coaches. What exactly is the "Terrible Towel" all about?

The towel has been a symbol to Pittsburgh fans since 1975, when radio broadcaster Myron Cope invented it. It has been often copied and mocked, but it stands as the most recognizable rallying symbol in the NFL today. They were originally distributed as a gimmick before a play off game, but the idea caught on so well that Pittsburgh area department stores were selling out of hand towels, as everyone seemed to want their own towel, authentic or not.

Since the original in 1975, the towel has been redesigned and distributed. There is now an entire line of official Terrible Towel merchandise from which Steelers fans can choose. Look to see tens of thousands of those towels being swung around during today's game in Tampa!

Larry Fitzgerald

The NFL needs more Running Backs like Larry Fitzgerald of the Cardinals. What a humble, decent tguy. This Pro Bowler is a real team player, and doesn't have the ego that you see in so many other receivers in the league (take for instance Terrell Owens of the Cowboys or Chad Ocho Cinco of the Bengals who are definitely all about "me"). Fitz has an incredible work ethic. He grew up in Minneapolis, the son of a sports writer, and because of his dad's connections was able to spend time on the Vikings sidelines with the lies of Cris Carter and Randy Moss. It's no shock that he has been compared to both. When there are so many stories that fill the headlines about the Michael Vicks and the Plaxico Buresses of the world, let's spend a little less time on them and a little more time on a real role model. Keep your eye on Fitz tomorrow...he's gonna be the only shot the Cardinals have at making some big plays and keeping up with the Steelers.

Why the Pittsburgh Defense is Just So Damn Good

Talk to any football fan, and they will tell you that while the offense puts the points on the scoreboard, it is the defense that truly wins games. The Pittsburgh Steelers have managed to put together a defense that is #1 in the league in points allowed, pass defense, total defense, and #2 in rush defense. Here's why:

Dick LeBeau-LeBeau is in his second stint with the Steelers, and it the mastermind behind the Steelers "zone" defense. His 50 (yes, 50!) years in the NFL as a player and coach have taught him a thing or two about how to have an effective defense. He was named Coordinator of the year by the Sporting News, and for good reason. Besides that, his players like him. He is a genuinely nice guy (who I have been lucky enough to actually know in real life) and players respect him and want to get the job done for him.

James Harrison- AP Defensive Player of the Year, and just a powerhouse on this Steeler team's seasoned D. He is the best of the best.

Troy Polamalu's hair- Just kidding about the hair...but we've seen those long, dark curly locks flapping on the back of his jersey many times as this safety runs down field after intercepting a pass. He's the guy that Steeler opponents' fans love to hate.

Ken Whisenhunt, Arizona Cardinals Head Coach

Hired by the Arizona Cardinals in January 2007, Ken Whisenhunt has intimate knowledge of his Super Bowl opponent. Whisenhunt was hired by the Steelers in 2001 as the tight ends coach before being promoted to Offensive Coordinator in 2004. When head coach Bill Cowher resigned at the end of the 2006 season, many thought the Steelers were making a mistake by not hiring Whisenhunt as head coach. Looks like the Steelers and the Cardinals both made good decisions about their coaching hires.

Whisenhunt played college football at Georgia Tech and nine seasons in the NFL, four seasons with the Atlanta Falcons.

Tidbit: Whisenhunt also interviewed for the head coaching job with the Atlanta Falcons & Miami Dolphins before accepting the Arizona job. In February of 2006, he began the interview process with the Oakland Raiders but pulled out before any offers were made. Wise move, Ken. (Refer to the teams section to learn more about the history of the Oakland Raiders)

Special Super Bowl Week Edition-Kurt Warner

We are going to dedicate most of our information this week to the pinnacle of professional sports contests...the Super Bowl. In case you weren't aware, this year's game will take place this Sunday, February 1 in Tampa, Florida. Perennial powerhouse Pittsburgh Steelers will take on the dark horse Arizona Cardinals. Let's focus on Kurt Warner, quarterback for the Cardinals and his not-so-traditional career path in the NFL.


Warner was not drafted out of college and spent the next year working at a grocery store. He was signed to a contract by the Iowa Barnstormers of the Arena Football League and played a few seasons there. The St. Louis Rams took notice of his AFL success and signed him for the 1998 season. By 1999, he was a Super Bowl Champion, Super Bowl MVP, and NFL MVP. Quite a bit of progress for someone whoo couldn't even get drafted 5 years before!

After the Rams, Warner spent time with the New York Giants and he currently plays for the Arizona Cardinals. In recent years, Warner has been riddled with injury, and has primarily played as a back-up and served as a mentor to young teammate Matt Leinart.

Kurt will be only the second NFL starting quarterback to take two different teams to the Super Bowl, and is not considered a strong candidate to eventually end up in the Hall of Fame.