Roy Nguyen: January 2011

Monday, January 31, 2011

Andy Gray, Richard Keys saying sexist things about lineswoman

During Liverpool's 3-0 win over Wolves on Saturday, Sky Sports pundits Andy Gray and Richard Keys had a sexist little conversation about women in football and the match's female assistant referee, Sian Massey. To their ignorant misfortune, their microphones were on the whole time.

The paper that revels in punishing public figures for saying the wrong thing, the Daily Mail, was the first to publish the pair's remarks (NSFW audio clip here) and, as you can imagine, they're really, really dumb.

Commenting on Ms Massey, Mr Keys said: ‘Somebody better get down there and explain offside to her.’
Mr Gray, a former Scottish international footballer, replied: ‘Can you believe that? A female linesman. Women don’t know the offside rule.’
Mr Keys replied: ‘Course they don’t. I can guarantee you there will be a big one today. Kenny (Liverpool manager Kenny Dalglish) will go potty. This isn’t the first time, is it? Didn’t we have one before?’
Later in the exchange, Mr Keys said: ‘The game’s gone mad. Did you hear charming [vice-chairwoman of West Ham] Karren Brady this morning complaining about sexism? Do me a favour, love.’

Contrary to Keys' guarantee, Massey -- in her second Premier League appointment -- correctly ruled Raul Meireles onside for the match's first goal and by all accounts had a very good game.

So what did Keys have to say about this?

When The Mail on Sunday put the transcript to Mr Keys, he said: ‘I have no recollection of that. I have no idea what you are talking about.
'My recollection is that I wished the young lady all the best.’
When told a recording existed of the conversation, he said: ‘If you have a tape then you don’t need me to talk to you.’

Burned.

This is far from the first time either of these guys have said stupid things in the presence of microphones. Andy Gray recently said that Barcelona would struggle against Stoke and Blackburn. Keys, meanwhile, has a growing list of instances where he's been caught by a live mic. Following a Euro 2008 qualifying match between the Faroe Islands and Scotland, Keys didn't realize he was on the air when he made sweary and dismissive remarks about the game (video here). And he called Theo Walcott a "stupid little boy ... in daft pink boots" during a Champions League match between Arsenal and Barcelona. He also asked, "Who's farted."

Since their wrongheaded opinions probably won't change, their best bet at this point is to just not say anything at all when in the general vicinity of microphones. Or, better yet, Sky should just take their microphones away entirely. Then everybody wins!

UPDATE: Sky Sports confirmed that Keys and Gray will not work Monday night's match between Chelsea and Bolton.

UPDATE II: Keys has apologized to Massey. She accepted it and says she wants to move on. Andy Gray, meanwhile, has been caught saying essentially the same things he did to Keys earlier in the day while preparing to tape an interview with Sky Sports reporter Andy Burton (1:00 into the clip below).

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Richie Hall hasn't ridden back quite yet

Now that Greg Marshall's officially taken over as the head coach of the Saskatchewan Roughriders, the focus has shifted to his staff. The most interesting decision he may have to make is at defensive coordinator, where incumbent candidate Gary Etcheverry took plenty of criticism this year. Etcheverry's unit performed well in the crucial playoff moments, but notable candidates like Richie Hall (pictured above) and Corey Chamblin (who both interviewed for the Riders' head coaching position) are out there and getting plenty of attention. That attention appeared to coalesce into something more Saturday, when Sportsnet's Perry Lefko reported that multiple sources have told him Hall has joined the Riders as defensive coordinator.

However, The Regina Leader-Post's Murray McCormick looked into the situation today, and he came to the opposite conclusion. Here's the key part of McCormick's piece:

"There had been a report Saturday that Hall was returning to the Roughriders as defensive co-ordinator under newly hired head coach Greg Marshall. A source with the Riders said Sunday that reports of Hall's hiring were premature and added that Marshall is continuing to work on his staff personnel. Hall didn't return messages on Sunday."

On the surface, those stories would seem to indicate two very different things. However, on closer examination, it's possible that there's truth to both of them. Lefko's exact line is "Richie Hall has joined Saskatchewan rookie head coach Greg Marshall as defensive co-ordinator", and that certainly doesn't seem to be the case at this point in time. If it's only the timing of the move Lefko got wrong, though, that would fit with McCormick's source not calling the reports wrong, but rather labeling them as "premature". It's also possible that Marshall has asked Hall to come back to Regina and Hall has agreed, but the contract details haven't been worked out yet; in that case, you could argue he "has joined" Marshall but hasn't yet been formally hired. Given the almost week-long gap between the reports of Marshall's hiring and the formal announcement, it's easy to envision a similar delay for his staff.

Of course, there's also the possibility that the Riders aren't going to go with Hall at all. It's certainly not like their options are terribly limited; even if they elect not to bring back Etcheverry, there are plenty of capable position coaches within the organization and around the league who could be promoted. They could also bring in someone from the CIS or NCAA ranks. The Riders' front office staff does seem quite intent on doing thorough searches, and I'm sure they have plenty of candidates on their board. We'll see if Hall winds up being the one they pick in the end or not; all we know for now is that he hasn't been officially chosen yet.

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Khan confident in 'Pac-Man' but knows a threat is looming

Gareth A. Davies sits down the future star of the 140 and 147 pound divisions, Amir Khan. Khan works under trainer Freddie Roach, just like Manny Pacquiao does. He's also served as a sparring partner for "Pac-Man" and knows his talents.

During his talk with The Telegraph reporter, Khan sounds a little worried about Antonio Margarito's size.

Pacquiao will struggle to reach his maximum weight of 148. He's facing a big dude in the "Tijuana Tornado," who walks around at 5-foot-11, 170 pounds.

Khan is fighting next month in Las Vegas in a 140-pound clash against knockout artist Marcos Maidana.

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Roethlisberger in the Super Bowl: a bad thing for the NFL?

On TMZ Monday, actor Jeremy Piven can be seen griping about the Super Bowl XLV matchup. He would have preferred Jets vs. Bears, and goes on to lament a matchup he labels as "Rapist-berger vs. Cheeseheads."

Now, I don't care what Jeremy Piven thinks about the Super Bowl. Nothing personal, but he's got his reasons for watching or not watching the game, and I've got mine. We probably don't have a lot in common as football fans.

But the sentiment he's expressing, I don't believe is an uncommon one. The Super Bowl is for casual viewers -- the people who watch because watching is what people do. Like Jeremy Piven, probably.

Most viewers don't care that the actual football itself promises to be epic. The general public isn't moved by Ben Roethlisberger's ability to keep a play alive vs. Green Bay's ability to hack down a quarterback. Most casual viewers don't care that Aaron Rodgers has the hottest arm in the game and now has to overcome Troy Polamalu and James Harrison.

What casual viewers do care about, though, is Roethlisberger's history of being accused of (but never charged with) sexual assault.

Here we are, at the beginning of Super Bowl week, and the words "rape," "rapist" and a host of other terms just as unimaginative as Piven's are seeing some heavy mileage.

At least, that's been my experience, and apparently that of Jeremy Piven's pals, too. I'm guessing it's been the same for a lot of people.

How big of a concern is that for the NFL? Does it worry about the negative publicity inspired by Roethlisberger's presence? Is this a bad thing for the sport of football?

The one thing we know the NFL loves is a non-controversial, sterilized, tame atmosphere. If you celebrate a touchdown by pretending the football is a pillow, you get hit with a fine. If your socks are the wrong color or worn at an unacceptable height, you get hit with a fine. Everyone falls in line. Everyone has to be the perfect little Stepford football player. There is no room for individuality.

Things about the Super Bowl that it can control, the NFL makes as bland as it can. Commercials that take even a moderately controversial stance get rejected. The meetings to decide who gets to play the halftime show, I picture being run by Lieutenant Steven Hauk.

Discussion of a social issue or even cheap jokes about it are not what the NFL wants on its Super Sunday agenda. But they are very likely to happen at your Super Bowl party.

If the public is upset about it, it's apparently not planning on showing it by withholding its viewership. Adweek expects the game to be the most-watched television program of all-time (currently, the record is held by last year's Super Bowl, which narrowly beat out the 1983 final episode of M*A*S*H*). About 110 million people are expected to watch.

Advertisers aren't afraid, either. They're still putting down $3 million for 30-second spots.

Ultimately, those are the things that count, because that's where the money comes from -- television ratings and corporate advertisers. The television audience is still growing.

I don't think the NFL would want to make a habit of having sexual assault be a common topic among Super Bowl viewers, but it's not going to hurt it financially. If it's detrimental to the league's image at all, it's no worse than any other recent off-the-field scandal through which the league has thrived.

By anything measurable, Roethlisberger's off-field problems seem to affect nothing. I don't think anyone would argue that it's good for the game, but is it bad? It's nothing the NFL can't handle.

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Roethlisberger in the Super Bowl: a bad thing for the NFL?

But the sentiment he's expressing, I don't believe is an uncommon one. The Super Bowl is for casual viewers -- the people who watch because watching is what people do. Like Jeremy Piven, probably.

What casual viewers do care about, though, is Roethlisberger's history of being accused of (but never charged with) sexual assault.

Here we are, at the beginning of Super Bowl week, and the words "rape," "rapist" and a host of other terms just as unimaginative as Piven's are seeing some heavy mileage.

At least, that's been my experience, and apparently that of Jeremy Piven's pals, too. I'm guessing it's been the same for a lot of people.

How big of a concern is that for the NFL? Does it worry about the negative publicity inspired by Roethlisberger's presence? Is this a bad thing for the sport of football?

Discussion of a social issue or even cheap jokes about it are not what the NFL wants on its Super Sunday agenda. But they are very likely to happen at your Super Bowl party.

Advertisers aren't afraid, either. They're still putting down $3 million for 30-second spots.

Ultimately, those are the things that count, because that's where the money comes from -- television ratings and corporate advertisers. The television audience is still growing.

By anything measurable, Roethlisberger's off-field problems seem to affect nothing. I don't think anyone would argue that it's good for the game, but is it bad? It's nothing the NFL can't handle.

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Brisbane flood leaves Pat Rafter Arena underwater

Four days ago, Patrick Rafter Arena hosted the final of the Brisbane International. Now it's underwater.

The massive flood that has ravaged the state of Queensland this week left the year-old arena submerged, with water seeping into the indoor stadium and covering the court so that the top of the net barely peeks through:

The Queensland Tennis Center, with 23 courts of all surfaces, opened in 2009 at a cost of $82 million. Its Centre Court was named after local hero and two-time U.S. Open champion Patrick Rafter.

Some damage to a new tennis facility is the least of Queensland's worries, though. The floods have led to 22 deaths and scores of missing people. Footage of the powerful waters overturning cars like toys shows the power and destruction of the floods. Damages from the flood are expected to top $5 billion.

Tennis players are already beginning relief efforts, with Roger Federer planning to organize a charity event on Sunday, prior to the start of the Australian Open. He made a similar effort last year when the earthquake in Haiti hit prior to the year's first Grand Slam.

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Brisbane flood leaves Pat Rafter Arena underwater

Four days ago, Patrick Rafter Arena hosted the final of the Brisbane International. Now it's underwater.

The Queensland Tennis Center, with 23 courts of all surfaces, opened in 2009 at a cost of $82 million. Its Centre Court was named after local hero and two-time U.S. Open champion Patrick Rafter.

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What motivated Patrick Sharp to win NHL All-Star Game MVP

RALEIGH, NC -- Even with a new format that created fresh buzz for the event, Patrick Sharp of the Chicago Blackhawks said "it's tough to get too motivated for an All-Star Game."

Yet Sharp played with purpose in Sunday's NHL All-Star Game: Picking up two assists in the first period and ripping a shot home against Jonas Hiller in the second period.

His three points in 13:30 helped earn Sharp the NHL All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award, the first Chicago player to win the award since Eric Daze in 2002.

(For those wondering, the MVP is chosen via a fan vote through text messages and the votes of 12 members of the media attending the game. So if you thought Loui Eriksson was robbed, there you go.)

"He played great and he deserves it," said David Backes of the St. Louis Blues, who played on a line with Sharp and Claude Giroux of the Philadelphia Flyers for Team Staal. "You're just playing in the first period and you're like, 'Hey, he's doing pretty well tonight. Let's try and keep feeding him.'"

So in a game treated as casually as the All-Star Game is treated by players -- well, until the final three minutes in a 1-goal game, as was witnessed on Sunday -- what motivated Sharp?

His motivation came from an oversight, as Sharp was left off the NHL's online ballot for the All-Star Game when it was released in November with six of his Chicago teammates listed. At the time, Sharp was already on a career-best goal-scoring pace; he currently has 26 goals on the season.

"I guess I'd be lying if I said I wasn't bothered by it," he said after the All-Star Game.

He eventually joined the player pool as an NHL-appointed reserve player, and was selected by Eric Staal's team in Friday's Fantasy Draft. Team Nicklas Lidstrom, meanwhile, was loaded with Sharp's buddies: Blackhawks Jonathan Toews, Patrick Kane and Duncan Keith, as well as former Blackhawk Dustin Byfuglien, now with the Atlanta Thrashers.

"They won the game, I got the trophy, so I guess everybody's happy," said Sharp, whose team lost to Team Lidstrom, 11-10.

So who owns the bragging rights?

"This will be a topic of conversation, definitely. I'll be sure to bring it up a few times [on the flight]," said Sharp. "Jonathan and I also have some unfinished business."

That's a reference to their showdown in the Shot Accuracy skills competition on Saturday night in which Sharp defeated Jonathan Toews, but the match was replayed after Toews said he didn't hear the whistle to start the event. In Round 2, Toews was victorious. Sharp said he anticipated a Round 3 back in Chicago.

But perhaps most of all, Sharp was motivated by family.

Members of his family saw their flight cancelled out of Newark, NJ, due to inclement weather in the Northeast. "They met some people here in Raleigh, they jumped in a minivan and drove from midnight to 8 a.m. just to get here to watch the game," he said.

"I didn't want to let them down."

Of course, the trophy wasn't the only perk to being named MVP: There was also the matter of his new Honda Crosstour EX-L, given to him in a postgame ceremony.

"I'm glad I can bring the trophy home," he said. "My dad and my brother will be fighting over the car."

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Paul the octopus gets large monument, golden urn, more attention

It's been three months since Paul the octopus died and six months since he completed his fantastical run of perfection, eating the food out of boxes associated with the winning team in eight different World Cup matches. And now, instead of quietly fading into obscurity, the German aquarium where Paul lived is squeezing his famous tentacles for those last bits (namely: ashes and attention). When Paul died, the manager of the aquarium said that a permanent shrine "may seem a curious thing to do for a sea creature." But now, that curious thing is a reality.

On Thursday, the Sea Life aquarium in Oberhausen, Germany, unveiled a creepy yet fitting 6 1/2-foot tall monument of an oversized Paul the octopus limply crushing a large ball featuring the flags of all the 2010 World Cup nations' flags. I'm assuming this represents how for one summer, an octopus used the game to become overlord of the human world.

Inside the monument is a golden urn containing Paul's ashes. Yes, they cremated an octopus...

From the AP:

In addition, the aquarium created “Paul Corner,” which includes newspaper clippings in many different languages that tell of Paul’s global fame and exhibits gifts sent to the museum.
A family in Spain sent a glass of mussels in oil as a reward for Paul after he correctly predicted that Spain would win the World Cup, [aquarium spokeswoman Tanja] Munzig said. A fan from New Zealand tailored a red, sleeveless football shirt for Paul—with a hole for each tentacle.

Sound ridiculous? Welcome to the story of Paul.

Meanwhile, the 6-month-old octopus the aquarium is billing as Paul's oracle successor apparently isn't sure yet if it wants to follow Paul's path. And yes, we are still talking about an octopus.

“We’re not pushing him into being an oracle against his will, that’s for sure,” Munzig said. “But if he is going to develop an interest in football and forecasting, we’ll be very supportive of his talents.”

There are no words for this.

Photos: Reuters, Getty

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Proof that Cristiano Ronaldo is not obsessed with Lionel Messi

Since Cristiano Ronaldo joined Real Madrid and has been forced to watch as Lionel Messi not only runs rampant against his team, but wins league titles and personal awards while doing so, many have assumed growing resentment from Ronaldo aimed at his Argentine rival.

Well, Ronaldo would like to tell you that that's just not true and that he hates Messi no more than any other footballer who isn't him.

From Soccernet:

"I don't have an obsession or a direct rivalry with Messi," Ronaldo told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I feel the same way about other players. But, one thing is certain: I want to be the best of all footballers.
"I don't envy Messi at all. My priority is to win La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid, not Ballon d'Or awards."

That's right. He doesn't care about Ballon d'Ors, only La Liga titles and Champions League wins. Which, you know, all happen to be things Messi also has.

The proof lies in Ronaldo's own house. He doesn't have pictures and statues of Messi up all over the place. No, no. Architect Jo Torres told Spanish TV that Ronaldo has his own initials sewn into his pillows and cushions. He also has a CR logo above his front door and a sofa in the shape of a C. So if he's obsessed with anyone, it's definitely himself.

Photo: Getty Images

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Sunday, January 30, 2011

Maradona is done mourning, has a 'commitment' in England

Ring the bells and hide your sugar because nearly half a year after being sacked as coach of the Argentine national team, Maradona has called an end to his own personal pity party.

From the AP:

Speaking to reporters Tuesday in Argentina’s coastal resort city Mar del Plata, the 50-year-old Maradona said “the mourning is over”, six months on from the World Cup when he led Argentina to the quarterfinals before a loss to Germany.
He said he planned to travel to England later this month, saying he had a commitment without offering any specifics.

There has been speculation that Maradona has received an offer from Blackburn or Fulham, but this "commitment" really could be anything. Here are some other possibilities:

-Appointment to check out some minibuses.

-Getting stood up by Leo Messi for belt shopping at Harrods.

-Dinner date with Prince William and Kate Middleton at a Pizza Hut near Bristol.

-Something completely fictional and not at all real.

-Terrifying local school children.

-Mullet maintenence at a really good salon.

Photo: Getty Images

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Manhattan picks up rare win on 55-foot prayer as time expires

In a weekend in which half college basketball's top 25 has lost and the nation's No. 1 team needed a late free throw to remain undefeated, there also have been a pair of half-court buzzer beaters worthy of attention.

First came a 40-footer from Weber State guard Scott Bamforth on Saturday night to upend Big Sky-leading Northern Colorado. Then Manhattan guard Michael Alvarado one-upped Bamforth with an even better shot, sinking a 55-foot prayer from beyond mid-court as time expired to lift the Jaspers over Marist 60-59 on Sunday.

About the only way the matchup between Manhattan and Marist could possibly have been nationally relevant was a game-winning shot the likes of the one Alvarado hit.

Marist has improved only slightly after last year's one-win season, entering Sunday's game with a 4-18 overall record but three wins in MAAC play. Manhattan notched its second league win of the season on Sunday, but the Jaspers are still just 4-18 overall.

It's a bit of a surprise that Alvarado hit the game winner since he was shooting just 22 percent from 3-point range and 31.8 percent overall from the field. Perhaps the problem was Alvarado just needs to shoot from further away?

(Thanks, @JeffBorzello)

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Adam Kennedy, Mariners Infielder, Arrested on Suspicion of DUI

Filed under: Mariners, MLB Police Blotter

Mariners infielder Adam Kennedy was arrested Wednesday night in Newport, Calif., on suspicion of driving under the influence.

Kennedy was arrested shortly after 9 p.m. and released from the Orange County Jail around 6:30 a.m. Thursday, according to the Orange County Register.

"I want to let you know this is not the typical character of me,'' Kennedy told the Seattle Times Thursday afternoon. "It's something I'm really ashamed of, and not proud to bring to the Seattle Mariners, especially not having put on the uniform. It's my first legal trouble -- something I'm definitely not looking to ever do again.''

Mariners general manager Jack Zduriencik told FanHouse's John Hickey he had no comment on Kennedy's arrest. The incident came eight days after Seattle outfielder Milton Bradley was arrested in California and charged with making criminal threats.

A Southern California native and former Angels standout, Kennedy signed a minor league deal with Seattle about three weeks ago. He hit .249 in 135 games for the Nationals last year.

The best seasons of his 12-year career came with the Angels, who he helped to the 2002 World Series title. He is best known for hitting three home runs against the Twins in Game 5 of the ALCS that year but has a .308 average and .843 OPS in 25 career playoff games.

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Khari Jones adds to ranks of quarterbacks-turned-OCs

One of the interesting aspects of Khari Jones' promotion to offensive coordinator yesterday was its effect on the makeup of the league's OCs. Of the eight current offensive coordinators, five are now former quarterbacks (and four of those guys played quarterback in the CFL; Jones, Edmonton OC Marcus Crandell, Calgary OC Dave Dickenson and Montreal OC Scott Milanovich, who was a backup in Calgary for one year before moving into coaching). The other quarterback now an offensive coordinator is Winnipeg's Jamie Barresi, who was a pivot for the Ottawa Gee-Gees before serving as an assistant coach there and then heading to Penn State. Moreover, all three of offensive coordinators appointed this offseason—Jones (pictured at right during his playing days in 2002), Dickenson and Crandell—are former CFL quarterbacks.

On one level, it's logical to see quarterbacks turning into offensive coordinators. More than any other player, the quarterback has to understand the role of every one of his teammates on any given play. He also has to understand various defensive looks, what coverages they translate into and what plays or options work well against them. Moreover, a quarterback has to be able to run through those options ridiculously quickly in order to get a successful pass off before taking a hit; see Chris Brown's excellent discussion of reads here for an idea of what kind of thought goes into even the simplest pass plays. That kind of ability to think on one's feet is crucial for CFL offensive coordinators perhaps even more than those in the NFL or NCAA due to the shorter play clock (20 seconds, but only running from when the ball is set), which doesn't leave a lot of time to get a new play in.

It's easy to see CFL quarterbacking experience in particular being quite valuable, as the extra man on the field on both sides changes the dynamics of both offensive and defensive plays and coverage sets substantially. NFL coverage reads can't translate directly to the CFL thanks to the presence of an extra defender, but there's also one more receiver on each play that the offence can potentially utilize. Quarterbacks who spent a substantial amount of time playing in the CFL, such as Jones, Dickenson and Crandell, have considerably more familiarity with CFL plays and schemes than most people, and that can only come in handy in the transition to an offensive coordinator's role.

However, quarterbacking experience could perhaps turn into a drawback if the coordinator relies too much upon it. It would be easy to start thinking of how they would have handled something in their playing days, and that could pose problems; CFL playbooks are ever-evolving, and approaches change over time. A play that might have worked for Jones in 2003 as Winnipeg's quarterback might fail miserably in 2011 when he calls it as Hamilton's offensive coordinator. Successful coordinators have to be innovative and forward-looking, not focused solely on what's worked before.

Coordinators also have to keep in mind each quarterback's different skills and try to take advantage of them. For example, in Calgary, Dickenson's working with a quarterback in Henry Burris who has more mobility and a stronger arm than he did, but is perhaps less accurate. A successful scheme, like the one the Stampeders ran last year with Dickenson calling plays (despite not officially carrying the offensive coordinator title), maximizes those strengths and minimizes the weaknesses; the Stampeders often focused on taking shots downfield, which made sense given Burris' power and the talent of his receiving corps. If 2003-era Dickenson had been under centre himself, they might have been better off going with a shorter, high-percentage scheme closer to what Montreal uses a lot of the time. Dickenson certainly seems to get that distinction, and Crandell and Jones both appeared to understand that in their former roles as quarterback coaches; their respective pupils, Darian Durant and Kevin Glenn, were first and second in the league in passing yards last year. If they can carry that into their new jobs, they could prove to be quite successful as coordinators.

It's also worth noting that CFL quarterbacking experience isn't the be-all and end-all of who makes a good coordinator. Milanovich only spent one year in the CFL as a player, but has presided over one of the league's top offences and turned into a hot head-coaching prospect. Barresi's Bombers did some great things on offence despite continually changing quarterbacks thanks to injuries, and he demonstrated an impressive ability to adapt to his personnel; Buck Pierce, Steven Jyles and Alex Brink are all very different quarterbacks, but he was able to drwa up schemes that maximized their strengths. B.C.'s Jacques Chapdelaine took a lot of heat for the Lions' offence's early struggles, but turned in a very impressive performance down the stretch once the Lions ditched Casey Printers and he could tailor his offence to fit Travis Lulay; Chapdelaine was a CFL slotback before turning to coaching.

They weren't the only non-quarterback offensive coordinators to find success, either. Despite some criticism, Saskatchewan's Doug Berry led a explosive Riders' offence that saw Durant lead the league in passing yards. Berry doesn't appear to have played college or professional football at all, but has spent three decades as a coach in both the NCAA and the CFL. Toronto's Jaime Elizondo played tennis in college before turning to coaching, and he did some good things with the Argonauts' offence last season, particularly in developing a run-heavy game plan (highly unusual for the CFL) that took full advantage of Cory Boyd's skills. I'd put their struggles in the passing game more down to poor performances from quarterback Cleo Lemon and an inconsistent receiving corps.

There's a good chance that Jones, Crandell and Dickenson could turn into great offensive coordinators, and if they do, I'd put at least part of that on their lengthy experience as CFL quarterbacks. However, the success of other people like Barresi, Berry and Chapdelaine proves that you don't necessarily have to be a CFL quarterback to do well as a CFL offensive coordinator. I'd argue each team's got a pretty good mind in that position at the moment, regardless of if they ever took a CFL snap from centre or not.

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NFL Should Look To Hockey, Soccer on Flagrant Fouls

Filed under: Chicago Bears, Packers, NFC North, NFL Injuries

If the National Football League is serious about reducing vicious blows to the head, it can add a new rule that borrows a little from hockey and a little from soccer.

In addition to walking off yardage against the transgressing team, football could establish a virtual penalty box that forces a team to use 10 men instead of the usual 11 for one or more plays after a dangerous foul.

An example of the need for such a rule came Sunday in the NFC Championship Game when the Green Bay Packers defeated the Chicago Bears, 21-14, for the right to play Pittsburgh in the Super Bowl.

In the fourth quarter, defensive end Julius Peppers of the Bears was penalized 15 yards for delivering a blind-side hit to the head of Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers, who has already suffered two concussions this season.

"He lowers his head, leads with the crown and it's helmet-to-helmet,'' FOX announcer Troy Aikman said while watching the replay. "It's a wonder there that Rodgers (was) even able to get up.''

The screen showed Rodgers rising slowly and with difficulty to his feet with blood on his tongue while Peppers argued with the officials. In addition to the Bears losing 15 yards, Peppers was fined $10,000, it was reported a few days later.

Despite the league's crackdown on such hits, the risk/reward ratio of these fouls still makes it tempting for tacklers to hit quarterbacks this way.

Even a loss of 15 yards is worth the risk if such a collision puts a star quarterback out of a game or leaves him at less than his best. So why not do it? Even a fine of $10,000 is a small deterrent, especially if a player earning millions of dollars has bonus money in a contract related to overall team success.

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Siva's clutch plays highlight 'just another day' in the Big East

Three Top 10 teams in one league went down on Saturday afternoon, and a fourth came awfully close.

Just another day in the Big East.

Lets take a quick tour …

No. 23 Louisville 79, UConn 78 (2OT)

Peyton Siva is turning into quite the late-game beast.

After his circus layup took out West Virginia earlier this week, he scored a tough bucket in close to tie it up at the end of regulation at UConn, then threw down a one-handed slam to send Saturday's game into a second overtime. Siva played 42 minutes, finishing with 19 points, seven assists, four rebounds, three steals and two blocks.

On the UConn side, the biggest head-scratcher came in the final seconds of the second OT. No one should have touched the ball on the final possession other than Kemba Walker, with the Huskies trailing by one. And if anyone else had to touch it, the ball should have been in Walker's hands much sooner than when there were only 3.3 seconds left on the clock. The result was about a 40-foot 3-point attempt before the buzzer by Walker … which almost went in. Imagine if he'd had a couple more seconds to create some space ...

No. 21 Georgetown 69, No. 8 Villanova 66

Austin Freeman scored 30 points, including a killer three in the final minute after Chris Wright found him with a cross-court pass under duress. Freeman also got stuck in a double-team near mid-court moments later and spotted Nate Lubick wide open at the basket for a clinching dunk. He scored 10 of the Hoyas' final 12 points.

"We wanted to concentrate on getting the ball to Austin," Wright said afterwards. "It's stupid not to give him the ball."

That made it four wins in a row in the Big East for Georgetown, with three of those coming on the road. The run has helped make up for an awful 1-4 start in league play.

Marquette 76, No. 9 Syracuse 70

The Orange continue to fade after their 18-0 start to the season, as this went in the books as their fourth straight loss.

On the other side, Marquette needed the win in the worst way. The Golden Eagles are now also 5-4 in the Big East, but more than anything needed to prove that it could close out a top-flight opponent after letting late second half leads fizzle into losses against UConn, Notre Dame and Louisville … in the last two weeks.

Helping withstand the furious Syracuse rally were Jimmy Butler and Darius Johnson-Odom, who each buried monster 3-pointers in the clutch.

No. 2 Pitt 65, Rutgers 62

Ashton Gibbs hit a trey in the final minute that gave Pitt a 61-57 lead, helping seal up a win on a brutal offensive day for the Panthers. Take away Gibbs, who was 7-of-14 from the floor, and they were just 9-of-31.

Rutgers certainly didn't get much home cookin' from the refs, either, getting whistled for 26 fouls compared to 18 on Pitt. That led to a 35-18 advantage for the Panthers in free throw attempts.

West Virginia 66, Cincinnati 55

The only snoozer of the day ...

But at the end, the league's standings look as congested as ever from No. 1 to No. 10, with nine teams within three games in the loss column of Pitt (8-1).

Surely, more mess awaits.

Ryan Greene covers UNLV and the Mountain West Conference for the Las Vegas Sun. Read his Rebels coverage and follow him on Twitter.

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A brilliant game from Tu Holloway keeps Xavier atop the A-10

If Xavier goes on to capture its fifth straight Atlantic 10 regular season title this year, the Musketeers may remember the final two seconds of Saturday's first half at Richmond as one of the sequences that put them over the top.

Xavier led by just with the first-half clock ticking down when Tu Holloway pulled up from the left wing, shot-faked and drew a three-shot foul on Richmond guard Darien Brothers with 1.3 seconds to go. Then after a Spiders turnover gave the ball back to the Musketeers, Holloway inbounded the ball off Dan Geriot's back and laid it in at the buzzer to out of nowhere push Xavier's lead to seven.

"It gave us great momentum going into the half," Chris Mack said by phone after the game. "Obviously we knew there was a lot of basketball to be played, but we felt like those two plays really sum up Tu's IQ for the game. To be able to draw a foul and then to have the presence of mind to throw the ball off the defenders back and finish in 1.3 seconds, he's a special player."

The confidence boost from those two plays from Holloway helped Xavier turn a hotly contested Atlantic 10 showdown into a surprisingly lopsided 85-62 rout. Despite being down to just seven healthy scholarship players as a result of roster turnover and a flurry of early injuries, the Musketeers (15-5, 7-0) have a half-game lead on second-place Duquesne and at least a two-game cushion on everybody else.

The primary reason Xavier managed to win so convincingly at Richmond was a virtuoso performance from Holloway, who merits more All-American attention than he has received up to this point.

Holloway scored a career-high 33 points, dished out five assists, grabbed seven rebounds and converted all 17 of his free throw attempts. Not a single Richmond defender had any success keeping Xavier's 6-foot junior point guard from penetrating the lane and getting to the rim as he had 14 straight second-half points at one point.

"He had one of the better individual efforts I've ever seen as a coach," Mack said. "He has such a knack for drawing fouls and finishing through contact. Today was a banner day for him and for our team."

It would have been difficult to predict this seven-game win streak from Xavier after the Musketeers lost by 20 at rival Cincinnati on Jan. 6.

The Musketeers entered conference play amid whispers that a 10th NCAA tournament berth in 11 years might be too daunting a goal to achieve. Between sharpshooter Brad Redford's season-ending knee injury, swingman Jay Canty's stress fracture in his right foot and top recruit Justin Martin's academic woes, Xavier has no perimeter players available off its bench and has leaned heavily on its stars.

While 13.6 points per game in A-10 play from 7-footer Kenny Frease and consistent production from Mark Lyons and Jamel Mclean have helped, Holloway has been the centerpiece of the turnaround. He's averaging 20.5 points per game and shooting a career-high 44.9 percent from the field, all while logging a ridiculous 38.4 minutes a game as a result of Xavier's lack of bench.

"If you had asked me before the season started if I thought Tu would be this special of a player, I don't know if I could have said yes," Mack said. "What he's done the past two months has been remarkable. He's had to do it playing almost every single minute."

The departure of last year's stars Jason Love and Jordan Crawford appeared to turn this into a potential transition year for Xavier, yet the Musketeers have responded to adversity and established themselves as contenders yet again.

They're done with Temple and Richmond for the remainder of the regular season now, just another reason Xavier should feel good about its chances to hang a fifth straight Atlantic 10 championship banner.

"Today's win only counts as one game, but we knew who Richmond was coming in," Mack said. "They're one of the premier teams in our conference, a veteran team with four seniors in its starting lineup, a team that's very hard to play against. This should give us a boost of confidence going forward."

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HBO video: Alexander fighting for jailed brother and deceased father

Boxing heats up big time at the end of the month in Detroit as Timothy Bradley and Devon Alexander square off at the Silverdome. Alexander's career is off to a great start at 21-0, but his story away the ring is even better.

The 23-year-old survived a tough upbringing, his father dying and his older brother Vaughn going to jail, to put himself on the verge of superstardom.

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Proof that Cristiano Ronaldo is not obsessed with Lionel Messi

Well, Ronaldo would like to tell you that that's just not true and that he hates Messi no more than any other footballer who isn't him.

From Soccernet:

"I don't have an obsession or a direct rivalry with Messi," Ronaldo told La Gazzetta dello Sport. "I feel the same way about other players. But, one thing is certain: I want to be the best of all footballers.
"I don't envy Messi at all. My priority is to win La Liga and the Champions League with Real Madrid, not Ballon d'Or awards."

That's right. He doesn't care about Ballon d'Ors, only La Liga titles and Champions League wins. Which, you know, all happen to be things Messi also has.

Photo: Getty Images

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DTotD: Kevin Muscat's latest (and last?) kamikaze tackle

Melbourne Victory captain Kevin Muscat was once described as the "most hated man in football" by former Birmingham City player Martin Grainger in 2000 and during Saturday's A-League match against Melbourne Heart, he once again proved why.

With the score at 2-2 in the 79th minute, Muscat threw himself at Heart's Adrian Zahra with an ugly high challenge that violently flipped the 20-year-old. Muscat was quickly shown a red card and Zahra had to be carried off the pitch.

Though Zahra didn't suffer any complete tears of ligaments in his knee and won't require surgery, he does have damage to multiple ligaments and will miss the rest of the season. On Sunday, the 37-year-old Muscat expressed remorse and apologized. From the Sydney Morning Herald:

"My number one concern - my only concern - is the welfare of Adrian," Muscat asserted. "It was an incident that I deeply regret. It was a mistimed tackle - dreadfully mistimed - but at no point did I have any intent to injure the player.
''In the next couple of days I will take the opportunity to try and contact him and pass on my sentiments, if he'll accept them. [...]
"I accept everything that's going to be coming my way in relation to bans and suspensions and also criticism of my character, my performance, all that comes with it."
Asked about retirement, Muscat said: "I haven't had a chance to contemplate, or think about it. Unfortunately I mistimed a tackle terribly. Maybe the game's telling me it's passed me by?"

Hopefully Muscat will be given a very long ban to give him ample time to contemplate that question.

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Kavis Reed could be a great fit in Edmonton

It looks like the CFL's coaching carousel may be coming to a stop, at least in Edmonton, and it appears Winnipeg defensive* coordinator/assistant head coach Kavis Reed (pictured, right) may be the one who grabs the brass ring. The Edmonton Journal's Mario Annicchiarico reported late Wednesday night that the Eskimos are set to announce Reed as their new head coach as early as Friday, according to an anonymous CFL source.

*Note: A typo here originally had Reed as the special teams coordinator in Winnipeg. He handled special teams in Saskatchewan the year before, but was running the Bombers' defence this past season. His full resume can be found here.

It's not just a lone report, either. Dave Naylor spoke to Edmonton GM Eric Tillman and reported that no firm offer has yet been made to Reed, but he expects that to come as soon as today. Terry Jones also expects Reed to be named head coach within days, and Arash Madani also got the same line from Tillman that no offer has yet been made to Reed, but Tillman may have let the cat out of the bag with other comments to Madani about what the Eskimos' staff might look like:

"Some of those are accurate, based on what Kavis has discussed with me. Some are not. But, it's not appropriate to go through a projected staff yes or no checklist," said Tillman. "Hell, we haven't even offered the head coaching job to anyone yet. And, every projected staff is different based on who it might be."

We don't have the full context of those comments, but to me, that first sentence is all but confirmation that Reed will in fact be the next Eskimos' head coach. The rest of it reads like backtracking to reinforce the claims that a decision hasn't yet been made. If Reed wasn't going to be offered the head coaching job, it seems highly unlikely that Tillman would talk about his potential staff. Combine that with the reports from Annicchiarico and Naylor, as well as the Stampeders' announcement today that both Chris Jones and Dave Dickenson (who both interviewed for the Eskimos' position) will be back in 2011, and Reed at least being offered the Edmonton job seems like a lock. If he's offered it, it's hard to envision him not taking the job (barring a dispute about compensation or authority); there aren't exactly a lot of head coaching jobs available in the CFL, Reed's successfully worked with Tillman before and he just happens to live in Edmonton during the off-season.

If the hiring of Reed does go ahead as predicted, I think this could be an excellent move for the Eskimos. The main argument one can raise against Reed is his lack of head coaching experience, but most of the other candidates for the job don't have that on their resume either. Moreover, extensive research I've done on coaching changes at the NFL level suggests both that previous head coaching experience is overrated and that external hires tend to do better than internal ones; innovative thinking sometimes tops having been there and done that. Much of that would seem to apply to the CFL as well. Furthermore, the biggest advantage Reed brings is that he's worked on all sides of the ball; he has a strong record as a defensive coordinator, but he's also done well as a special teams and running backs coach. The specialization of football makes that kind of cross-disciplinary experience rare, but it could be a tremendous asset for a head coach.

Head coaches obviously draw most of the ink spilled on coaching changes, but their staffs are an important part of a team's success or failure as well. There's simply too much work in running a team for one coach to be involved in everything; successful head coaches put good people in place under them and work with them to build strong plans for all facets of the game. If we go by Madani's report, it looks like Reed may have a talented staff to work with. Madani writes that the team is looking at bringing in Saskatchewan quarterbacks coach (and former CFL quarterback) Marcus Crandell as offensive coordinator, going with either B.C. defensive line coach (and former Toronto head coach) Rich Stubler or current Edmonton linebackers coach (and former Winnipeg defensive coordinator) Mark Nelson as defensive coordinator, bringing in Rick Campbell from Calgary to run the special teams and retaining receivers coach Jason Tucker and offensive line coach Tim Prinsen.

That looks like a pretty solid group. It's a staff that obviously goes on the side of youth, but there's experience at defensive coordinator with either Stubler or Nelson. Crandell at offensive coordinator may be the biggest question mark, as that's the area where Reed has the least experience, but Crandell has delivered a strong performance as Saskatchewan's quarterback coach and has been involved in enough CFL offences as both a player and a coach to have a good idea of what he's doing. Campbell would also be a nice acquisition; he's done well with Calgary's special teams and he interviewed for the Eskimos' head job. We'll see if that group comes together as expected or if changes are made, but on paper, it looks quite reasonable.

The final important thing to consider is what effects these pieces of news could have on the current remaining open head coaching slot in Saskatchewan. Reed wasn't widely viewed as a strong candidate there, so his hiring wouldn't seem to affect that, but Dickenson (to a greater degree) and Jones (to a lesser one) had both been mentioned as possibilities for the Roughriders. The most likely candidates there—Richie Hall, Doug Berry, and Greg Marshall—all remain, though. Crandell's departure may also affect the Saskatchewan staff, as he seemed a logical candidate for the offensive coordinator slot if Berry was promoted to head coach or left after not getting the HC job.

In other CFL coaching news, Perry Lefko writes that the Riders may try and make their move by Christmas and throws another name into the mix: Bob Wylie, who worked as the Saskatchewan offensive line coach last year and currently holds a similar position with the NFL's Denver Broncos, but may be on the way out in the offseason thanks to Denver's recent firing of head coach Josh McDaniels. He also mentions that Saskatchewan director of U.S. scouting Joe Womack may be heading to Hamilton as an assistant general manager. The dominos may have started to fall, but it looks like the entire CFL coaching picture still won't be set for a while.

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Hamilton stadium soap opera switches to Burlington

The Hamilton Tiger-Cats' stadium situation has had more twists than a bad daytime soap opera so far, so we're going to describe it in that style. Previously on The Days of The Week, city council originally voted in favour of a West Harbour location opposed by the Tiger-Cats, owner Bob Young pulled out of discussions and threatened to leave town, negotiations over East Mountain and Innovation Park compromise sites collapsed, a promising railyard plan was shot down by costs, a local election may have been influenced by the stadium debate and council decided last week to kill the last Hamilton site both sides were looking at in Confederation Park. Now, it looks like the focus has shifted elsewhere. After being spurned by Hamilton council, the Tiger-Cats are on the rebound and are now trying to land a stadium in nearby Burlington near the GO Train line (pictured above).

Burlington is a smaller city (population of 164,415 in 2006) than Hamilton (504,559), so the municipal government probably doesn't have the funds to contribute the $45 million Hamilton's council was going to put forward. However, there's apparently $30 million in private investment lined up for a Burlington site, and vast tracts of prime land are available as well, making Burlington a more attractive proposition. That alone would cover much of the funding that would have come from Hamilton, and it's possible the Tiger-Cats could get other benefits from the municipality (in-kind services, special taxes, et cetera). The presence of that private investment also speaks volumes, as none of the sites considered in Hamilton drew much interest from the private sector.

The Burlington proposal seems quite far-advanced for something that's just popped out of the woodwork, and that's for good reason. Discussions on the file have been apparently ongoing since the summer, which makes sense; there were plenty of times, particularly in late August, when it didn't look like there was any hope of a Hamilton stadium solution for the Tiger-Cats. That probably isn't going to make Hamilton council all that happy, though, as it looks like the Tiger-Cats were going around behind their backs. Relations on the Hamilton front had grown more optimistic in recent months, but the demise of the Confederation Park plan has apparently prompted the team to go back to looking at other options outside the city.

This seems like a reasonably logical move on the team's part. For one thing, the deadline to have a stadium built with PanAm Games money (a sizable portion of the funding that's already on the table) is the fast-approaching Feb. 1. That funding comes to about $70 to $100 million (depending on the specifications of the stadium). Ian Troop, who's the CEO of the 2015 Games, told The Hamilton Spectator's Ken Peters and John Kernaghan that the funding won't be shifted to Burlington unless there is a firm, solid proposal in place by that point. It's important to keep in mind that the Games organizing committee doesn't necessarily need the CFL, as a 5,000 seat stadium in any number of neighbouring municipalities is sufficient for their needs. A bigger facility that could have the Tiger-Cats as a long-term tenant would make a lot of sense for all parties involved, but it isn't a requirement. Thus, the Tiger-Cats needed to do something fast to try and still capitalize on the PanAm funding, and with things stalled in Hamilton, Burlington becomes an attractive suitor.

Burlington, and particularly the Aldershot area, is also a compelling suburban site for this project. There are often some significant issues with putting stadiums way out in the suburbs, as those stadiums often make arriving by transit difficult and lack amenities in the area (see Ottawa's Scotiabank Place for a perfect example), but Aldershot has a lot going for it. For one thing, it's right on the main GO Train Lakeshore West line, making it easily accessible from both Toronto and Hamilton by transit. It's also near Highways 403 and 407, allowing access by car. It's barely outside Hamilton (about 20 kilometres), and the team would apparently keep the Hamilton Tiger-Cats name. Hamilton mayor Bob Bratina would still like to see the team stay in his municipality, but he said this is one of the best potential options if they are going to leave thanks to the proximity and accessibility:

"There's an emotional thing, having grown up in the east end where we sort of thought we owned the Tiger-Cats and that hurts to think of the team moving across a boundary into another jurisdiction, but ... this is not the Brooklyn Dodgers moving to Los Angeles," Bratina said. "It's just as easy for me to go from my house to Aldershot as it is to go from my house to Confederation Park and maybe even Ivor Wynne"

That's the important thing to keep in mind here. If this deal comes together, there are significant advantages for the team and the league. The Tiger-Cats get their new stadium, close to the transit routes they wanted, and they stay close to the majority of their fans. At the same time, the CFL doesn't have to deal with any real relocation issues, as the team's only moving a few minutes away across a municipal border, not to Moncton or Quebec City. Tiger-Cats fans in Hamilton proper might have to travel a little farther to go to games, and there probably won't be much around the stadium at first, but at least they don't have to really lose their team. This might even work out for Hamilton city council; although there's some embarrassment in having a team leave town, they don't have to shell out $45 million to keep the Tiger-Cats and they aren't too likely to be on the hook in the future if the team no longer plays within their municipal boundaries.

However, when you consider the way things have changed on this project over the last several months, it would be foolhardy to assume that this is how it's going to be resolved. There's still lots of time for other things to come up, and we might yet see more cliffhangers and dramatic twists. WILL Hamilton council reconsider their opposition to Confederation Park in an attempt to lure the Tiger-Cats back? ARE there other suburban municipalities that will try to horn in on the action? WHAT will the PanAm Games committee eventually decide? WHERE is all the money going to come from? Find out next time on The Days Of The Week!

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Saturday, January 29, 2011

Is Chad Owens set to abandon ship for the NFL?

The Toronto Argonauts' turnaround from a dismal 3-15 season in 2009 to a 9-9 mark and a East Final appearance in 2010 was one of the season's more spectacular stories. Even more remarkable was how they did it; instead of the traditional CFL formula of a passing-focused offence, the Argonauts relied on a combination of a punishing ground game, a strong defence and explosive plays on special teams. Unfortunately for Toronto fans, though, a major part of the 2010 equation may be removed from the 2011 picture; electrifying kick returner Chad Owens (pictured above evading Saskatchewan's Hugh Charles in an Oct. 9 game), who was crucial to the Argonauts' success with 2,701 combined return yards (almost 1,000 ahead of anyone else in the CFL) and earned the league's Most Outstanding Special Teams Player award this fall, could be headed to the NFL.

According to the above article by Chris Zelkovich of The Toronto Star, Owens has already worked out with the New York Jets as well as two unidentified teams. The Jets in particular are an intriguing option, as they do have considerable familiarity with the CFL. As I wrote about Cam Wake a while back, the vast majority of CFL players who go to the NFL don't wind up staying there for the long term, and that was the case with the three guys the Jets signed last year; S.J. Green, Larry Taylor and Bo Smith. Green was released in May, but Smith hung on until September and Taylor was there until October. The Jets also briefly hired Ricky Foley after he was cut by Seattle but kept him for less than a week. That shows they've have been at least willing to give looks to CFL players even if things didn't eventually work out, and that would suggest that there might be some interest on their part in Owens, who was perhaps more dominant and impressive in the CFL than any of those other players.We're likely to find out soon, as NFL teams can offer CFL players contracts as early as Monday.

Owens is already 28, so he's hardly a developmental prospect. However, he isn't past his prime yet either, and should be able to offer a fair bit of value still. Moreover, in the same way Cam Wake's blazed trails for CFL pass rushers, Stefan Logan's success as a kick return man with first Pittsburgh and now Detroit might inspire some NFL franchises to play copycat. If they do, Owens would be the logical choice to try and lure. He is smaller than your typical NFL player (5'7'', 180), but as Shane Bacon wrote at Shutdown Corner recently, more and more NFL teams are finding success with shorter players like Logan, Darren Sproles, Brandon Banks, Danny Woodhead and the rest, particularly as kick returners or hybrid running backs/wide receivers, a role Owens could perhaps slot into as well. Thanks to that trend, Owens' physical attributes likely aren't going to be considered as much of a drawback as they would have been a few years ago, and there are plenty of NFL teams looking for guys who can do this kind of stuff:

How much of a blow would it be for the Argonauts if Owens leaves? Well, it would certainly be a substantial one; as I pointed out above, the next-closest returner to Owens' production was Marcus Thigpen, who finished almost 1,000 yards back. However, it's important to keep in mind that there are plenty of capable return men coming out of college every year, and returns aren't all about the man with the ball; a lot of a return's success or failure comes down to blocking, and that was a huge component of the Argonauts' success in that area. Mike O'Shea's proven to be an excellent special teams coordinator, capable of drawing up terrific schemes and plays, and he's got a lot of valuable guys out there on the return and cover teams (including league special teams tackles leader Bryan Crawford, who the team recently resigned). Owens' departure would certainly hurt the Boatmen, but I wouldn't write Toronto's special teams off even if he does jump ship.

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Ryan Babel probably wishes he stayed in #TwitterJail a little longer

In Ryan Babel's first match with the club, Hoffenheim lost their DFB Pokal quarterfinal match against 2. Bundesliga side Energie Cottbus. Even more surprising than the result, though, was the fact that Babel played. His fictional release date from his fictional stint in #TwitterJail isn't until January 31, after all.

But hey -- at least he started a football match. That hasn't been happening too often for him.

Photos: Reuters

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