Winless In Seattle
Steve Sauro
Elliott SmithWeek 7
October 23rd 2011 08:29
:
The Biggest Travesty in Sports
It is the biggest travesty in sports. There is no doubt about that. Everyone I have ever encountered has agreed with me. It is not up for discussion, it does not vary upon interpretation. It was a travesty, and it is time to bring it to your attention.
Sure, Super Bowl Xl comes to mind. The Seahawks were robbed, everyone knows it, and yet a greater (well, different) sports tragedy waits. The 1993 Western Conference Finals are a good bet. The Sonics were up against David Stern's wishes of a Charles Barkley-Michael Jordan final. Game 7 featured 64 free throws for Phoenix, a game that ranked in the top 10 for "most rigged game ever" by ESPN. 64 free throws!! But, no, the real travesity happened on May 19 of this year.
The May 19th Sportscenter had the top 10 plays of the day, like every Sportscenter for the last 10 years. Number one, the "best" of the day, was this. Which, normally, would belong in the top 10. It was during a playoff game (a series that OKC would lose. Yay!) so the importance was obvious. But number two was this.
For those of you too lazy to click the links, let me try to describe this. Asdrubal Cabrera was the shortstop for the Cleveland Indians on May 19th. The batter hit the ball towards the middle, and Cabrera immediately bolted that direction. Because it was so sharply hit, the pitcher's natural reaction was to go for the ball, which he nipped with the tip of his glove. The deflection caused the baseball to go in a different direction than Cabrera had initially anticipated. Now bouncing behind him, Cabrera stopped his momentum towards second base and barehanded (!) the ball going towards left field. In the same motion, because he had no better choice, he threw the ball behind his back to the second baseman, who then threw to first base for a double play.
Seeing that top 10 on Sportscenter, I texted a buddy of mine. He couldn't believe it either. I went to the bars after that, and two different people brought it up without me saying a word. Clearly this was a travesty. A couple of nights ago, I was out with a couple of friends. One buddy brought both replays up on his IPhone and we showed a couple people. 5 months later, the Cabrera play stood out as the best play of the year. Maybe the last few years.
Kevin Durant dunked on a guy a couple inches taller than himself. Cabrera made the best play in baseball this year, maybe this decade. Yet Durant, on May 19th, got the nod for number one in the top 10 plays on Sportscenter. That is the biggest travesty in sports.
Onto the picks...
Atlanta @ Detroit
If you've read my picks columns this year, you know I love the Lions. But there might be some problems here. Looking aside from their unsteady (down by double digits, come back to win) performances; they are fun to watch but do not show the signs of a great team. With that, did you see what happened this week? They lost their running back (Jahvid Best) due to a concussion and were about to trade Jerome Harrison for Ronnie Brown, except the trade got nullified because Harrison had a brain tumor. Seriously, the only reason a guy knows he has a brain tumor is because he had to undergo a physical after he was about to be traded. I didn't trust a team without a running back before a brain tumor was involved, I certainly don't afterwards.
Falcons 31-17
Houston @ Tennessee
Remember last week's joke about how all of the Texan's best players were injured? Yeah. That hasn't changed. Will their injuries be offset by Chris Johnson's inability to run (250 yards in 5 games)? Nope. Johnson is due for a breakout game. Right?
Titans 28-20
Tebow @ Miami
Can Tebow Tebow with a Tebow Tebow? Even with a Tebow? Still...Tebow Tebow. Tebow, Tebow, and Tebow Tebow. So, Tebow Tebow. Tebow Tebow, Tebow? Probably.
Tebow 27-Non Tebow 20
San Diego @ NY Jets
Literally nothing the Chargers have done this season has seemed impressive. They are 4-1 and yet I feel like, well, like I feel every year about the Chargers. Last year they finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs despite being #1 in offense and #1 in defense. This year it feels like they could easily be 0-5 or 1-4. Having written that, the Jets had given up at least 30 points in four straight games, and then tightened the screws against Miami and their backup quarterback. Signs of progression? Probably not.
Chargers 35-20
Chicago "@" Tampa
Chicago's offensive line sucks in their own time zone; you think they'll be any better in London? Me neither. The good news is that the Orton/Cutler argument has a new angle for the 9 people that care.
Bucs 24-14
Washingon @ Carolina
You are John Beck. You were a three year letterman during a run where you lead Mountain View High School to a state championship. During that run, you won numerous Player of the Year honors. By your senior year in college, you had the second best quarterback efficiency rating in the nation. You ended up being the fourth quarterback drafted behind JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn and Kevin Kolb. Russell. Quinn. Kolb. You don't have much to live up to in your class, and you are currently the underdog on the road against a 1-win Panthers team. I'm banking on you this game. Just this once.
Redskins 21-17
Seattle @ Cleveland
The 'Hawks were something like 1-10 their last few 10 AM starts. They were also like 3-7 coming off their last 10 bye weeks. Considering they won during a 10 AM slot against the Giants, the chances of beating the odds twice in a row aren't good. Still, I can't name 5 Cleveland players, and that should count for something.
Hawks 27-21
Kansas City @ Oakland
I don't like the Palmer trade. Not at all. Call me crazy, but giving up 2 (potential) 1st rounders for a QB coming off of four different surgeries seems a bit excessive. Especially when he hasn't been good in 4 years. Also, doesn't it seem a bit tough to throw a guy in at quarterback a few days after signing him? Doesn't there need to be some kind of learning period? Assuming he doesn't play, that leaves Kyle Boller and Terrelle Pryor. So I'm calling an upset, except I don't think it's an upset when the quaterbacks involved are Kyle Boller and Terrelle Pryor.
Chiefs 28-24
Pittsburgh @ Arizona
Oh. Did you beat the Cards? A week after barely beating the Jags? Congrats to you. What are you, 5-2 after this game? 3 wins at home and the other 2 wins on the road against Indy and Arizona? No, no, you guys are good! Really! I think Big Ben will be fine with 2 legitimate linemen blocking for him each game. Enjoy the pass rush! (Yes, I'm bitter).
Stealers 28-10
St Louis @ Dallas
Announcer #1: And the Cowboys score again! They are dominating!
Announcer #2: It's the Rams, and they have their backup quarterback playing.
Announcer #1:The Cowboys have looked great! Clearly one of the elite teams in the NFL.
Announcer #2:The 5 games they have played were decided by a total of 16 total points. It's impossible to know either way. They could be great, they could be terrible. It could really go either way,
Announcer #1: Man, if they had Tebow...
Announcer #2: Stop it!
Cowboys 31-7
Green Bay @ Minnesota
Remember when this game was all about Brett Favre? You're welcome.
Packers 27-7
Indy @ New Orleans
I can't think of a worse primetime game
Saints 35-12
Baltimore @ Jacksonville
Oh. I guess I can.
Ravens 35-11
Last Week: 10-3
Season: 63-27
Sure, Super Bowl Xl comes to mind. The Seahawks were robbed, everyone knows it, and yet a greater (well, different) sports tragedy waits. The 1993 Western Conference Finals are a good bet. The Sonics were up against David Stern's wishes of a Charles Barkley-Michael Jordan final. Game 7 featured 64 free throws for Phoenix, a game that ranked in the top 10 for "most rigged game ever" by ESPN. 64 free throws!! But, no, the real travesity happened on May 19 of this year.
The May 19th Sportscenter had the top 10 plays of the day, like every Sportscenter for the last 10 years. Number one, the "best" of the day, was this. Which, normally, would belong in the top 10. It was during a playoff game (a series that OKC would lose. Yay!) so the importance was obvious. But number two was this.
For those of you too lazy to click the links, let me try to describe this. Asdrubal Cabrera was the shortstop for the Cleveland Indians on May 19th. The batter hit the ball towards the middle, and Cabrera immediately bolted that direction. Because it was so sharply hit, the pitcher's natural reaction was to go for the ball, which he nipped with the tip of his glove. The deflection caused the baseball to go in a different direction than Cabrera had initially anticipated. Now bouncing behind him, Cabrera stopped his momentum towards second base and barehanded (!) the ball going towards left field. In the same motion, because he had no better choice, he threw the ball behind his back to the second baseman, who then threw to first base for a double play.
Seeing that top 10 on Sportscenter, I texted a buddy of mine. He couldn't believe it either. I went to the bars after that, and two different people brought it up without me saying a word. Clearly this was a travesty. A couple of nights ago, I was out with a couple of friends. One buddy brought both replays up on his IPhone and we showed a couple people. 5 months later, the Cabrera play stood out as the best play of the year. Maybe the last few years.
Kevin Durant dunked on a guy a couple inches taller than himself. Cabrera made the best play in baseball this year, maybe this decade. Yet Durant, on May 19th, got the nod for number one in the top 10 plays on Sportscenter. That is the biggest travesty in sports.
Onto the picks...
Atlanta @ Detroit
If you've read my picks columns this year, you know I love the Lions. But there might be some problems here. Looking aside from their unsteady (down by double digits, come back to win) performances; they are fun to watch but do not show the signs of a great team. With that, did you see what happened this week? They lost their running back (Jahvid Best) due to a concussion and were about to trade Jerome Harrison for Ronnie Brown, except the trade got nullified because Harrison had a brain tumor. Seriously, the only reason a guy knows he has a brain tumor is because he had to undergo a physical after he was about to be traded. I didn't trust a team without a running back before a brain tumor was involved, I certainly don't afterwards.
Falcons 31-17
Houston @ Tennessee
Remember last week's joke about how all of the Texan's best players were injured? Yeah. That hasn't changed. Will their injuries be offset by Chris Johnson's inability to run (250 yards in 5 games)? Nope. Johnson is due for a breakout game. Right?
Titans 28-20
Tebow @ Miami
Can Tebow Tebow with a Tebow Tebow? Even with a Tebow? Still...Tebow Tebow. Tebow, Tebow, and Tebow Tebow. So, Tebow Tebow. Tebow Tebow, Tebow? Probably.
Tebow 27-Non Tebow 20
San Diego @ NY Jets
Literally nothing the Chargers have done this season has seemed impressive. They are 4-1 and yet I feel like, well, like I feel every year about the Chargers. Last year they finished 9-7 and missed the playoffs despite being #1 in offense and #1 in defense. This year it feels like they could easily be 0-5 or 1-4. Having written that, the Jets had given up at least 30 points in four straight games, and then tightened the screws against Miami and their backup quarterback. Signs of progression? Probably not.
Chargers 35-20
Chicago "@" Tampa
Chicago's offensive line sucks in their own time zone; you think they'll be any better in London? Me neither. The good news is that the Orton/Cutler argument has a new angle for the 9 people that care.
Bucs 24-14
Washingon @ Carolina
You are John Beck. You were a three year letterman during a run where you lead Mountain View High School to a state championship. During that run, you won numerous Player of the Year honors. By your senior year in college, you had the second best quarterback efficiency rating in the nation. You ended up being the fourth quarterback drafted behind JaMarcus Russell, Brady Quinn and Kevin Kolb. Russell. Quinn. Kolb. You don't have much to live up to in your class, and you are currently the underdog on the road against a 1-win Panthers team. I'm banking on you this game. Just this once.
Redskins 21-17
Seattle @ Cleveland
The 'Hawks were something like 1-10 their last few 10 AM starts. They were also like 3-7 coming off their last 10 bye weeks. Considering they won during a 10 AM slot against the Giants, the chances of beating the odds twice in a row aren't good. Still, I can't name 5 Cleveland players, and that should count for something.
Hawks 27-21
Kansas City @ Oakland
I don't like the Palmer trade. Not at all. Call me crazy, but giving up 2 (potential) 1st rounders for a QB coming off of four different surgeries seems a bit excessive. Especially when he hasn't been good in 4 years. Also, doesn't it seem a bit tough to throw a guy in at quarterback a few days after signing him? Doesn't there need to be some kind of learning period? Assuming he doesn't play, that leaves Kyle Boller and Terrelle Pryor. So I'm calling an upset, except I don't think it's an upset when the quaterbacks involved are Kyle Boller and Terrelle Pryor.
Chiefs 28-24
Pittsburgh @ Arizona
Oh. Did you beat the Cards? A week after barely beating the Jags? Congrats to you. What are you, 5-2 after this game? 3 wins at home and the other 2 wins on the road against Indy and Arizona? No, no, you guys are good! Really! I think Big Ben will be fine with 2 legitimate linemen blocking for him each game. Enjoy the pass rush! (Yes, I'm bitter).
Stealers 28-10
St Louis @ Dallas
Announcer #1: And the Cowboys score again! They are dominating!
Announcer #2: It's the Rams, and they have their backup quarterback playing.
Announcer #1:The Cowboys have looked great! Clearly one of the elite teams in the NFL.
Announcer #2:The 5 games they have played were decided by a total of 16 total points. It's impossible to know either way. They could be great, they could be terrible. It could really go either way,
Announcer #1: Man, if they had Tebow...
Announcer #2: Stop it!
Cowboys 31-7
Green Bay @ Minnesota
Remember when this game was all about Brett Favre? You're welcome.
Packers 27-7
Indy @ New Orleans
I can't think of a worse primetime game
Saints 35-12
Baltimore @ Jacksonville
Oh. I guess I can.
Ravens 35-11
Last Week: 10-3
Season: 63-27
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