Jan 7th 2009 6:31PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)

In the years when the BCS works more or less as well as can be expected, and the top two teams play each other for the national championship, the powers that be in college football like to pat themselves on the back for using computer rankings as part of the BCS formula. “See?” they say, “We’re using the computers to make sure we have a fair, objective system.”

And then in the years when the BCS doesn’t work well, and college football fans are up in arms, the powers that be in college football like to blame the computer rankings in the BCS formula. “The poll voters got it right,” they say, “But the computers messed everything up.”

And so it goes, year after year, with the powers that be in college football using and misusing statistical analysis to suit their own needs. And now the most influential statistical analyst in the history of sports says he’s fed up.Continue Reading

Jan 7th 2009 7:00PM by Shane Bacon (author feed)

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It seldom occurs that the most exciting player in a non-conference Duke game is a player not on Duke.

The Davidson Wildcats, now 10-2, take that lonely trip to Camedon Indoor Stadium to face the Blue Devils and their rowdy fans.

There should be a lot of Stephen Curry talk, even more painted blue chests and a lot of hand waving and Coach K stares.

Added wrinkle? Dicky V won’t be around to broadcast the game, as the NBA guys (Mike Tirico, Jeff Van Gundy and Mark Jackson) will be broadcasting the college game. Tune in around to follow the action with some of your closest friends.Continue Reading

Jan 7th 2009 7:06PM by Michael David Smith (author feed)
In an absolutely stunning report, ESPN’s John Barr went on television today and said that Adam “Pacman” Jones, who has just been released by the Dallas Cowboys, was connected to another nightclub shooting in 2007, in addition to the one that took place in Las Vegas during NBA All-Star Weekend.

“While under NFL suspension in 2007, Pacman Jones was the man behind a shooting that followed a dispute inside a nightclub,” Barr reported. “There are also allegations that he offered to pay an accused murderer to do this shooting.”

Barr made clear that he was not referring to the infamous “make it rain” incident in Las Vegas in February of 2007, which left a man paralyzed and got Jones suspended.

“The information that we have relates to an incident four months after that, while Jones was on suspension,” Barr said.

It is not clear whether the Cowboys’ decision to cut ties with Jones today is an effort to head off the bad publicity that is sure to come from ESPN’s report. The ESPN show will go into more depth about the latest allegations about Jones on Sunday.

Jan 7th 2009 7:15PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)

The Patriots haven’t yet confirmed the report that they’ll franchise Matt Cassel but that doesn’t mean it won’t happen, particularly if Tom Brady’s recovery is truly behind schedule.

And while the organization has a history of treating personnel information — no matter how mundane — like it’s a matter of national security, CBS analyst and sweater vest aficionado Phil Simms is absolutely certain New England will slap Cassel with the franchise tag. He heard it from his favorite source: Phil Simms.

He does admit, however, that the former USC backup to the backup has benefited from playing in the Pats’ offense, although that doesn’t mean he’s not a legitimate starting quarterback.Continue Reading

Jan 7th 2009 7:20PM by Chas Rich (author feed)
Matt Simms looked to be the frontrunner for the starting quarterback job at Louisville next season. The redshirt sophomore, though, was not actually named the frontrunner by coach Steve Kragthorpe. The Cardinals also gained the commitment of a junior college quarterback. That apparently was the final straw, and Simms has decided to leave Louisville.

Aside from being the son of former New York Giants’ quarterback Phil Simms, Matt Simms had gained notoriety for his performance in the New Jersey State Championship — specifically flipping the bird to fans of the opposing team after the game.

Matt Simms has thrown all of 10 passes in his time at Louisville. Simms had also been suspended for four games this past season for the nebulous “team rules” violation, better explained by a photo that made the rounds on the Internet. That was about the most noticeable thing he accomplished at Louisville. Somehow, other than hurting depth at the spot, it does not seem that the departure of Matt Simms will have much of an impact on Louisville.

Jan 7th 2009 8:00PM by Ryan Wilson (author feed)
Quick refresher just in case you started following tackle football yesterday afternoon: during a meaningless Week 17 game against the Browns, Steelers quarterback Ben Roethlisberger was tackled, concussed, and hauled off the field in the span of 15 minutes.

Trust me, it was much more dramatic than that 17-word description, and the incident led to the predictably lame arguments about playing starters in a game that doesn’t matter, followed by legitimate concerns about Big Ben’s health.

Turns out, Roethlisberger just had a concussion. (I say “just” not to trivialize a head injury, but to put it in perspective; Ben’s facemask was removed, he was tied to a stretcher and driven off the field. Such precautions are usually reserved for serious injuries, although drama queening quarterbacks might now be an exception.)

And with the Steelers enjoying a first-round bye, Roethlisberger’s been cleared to play this Sunday against the Chargers. One problem, though: his helmet doesn’t fit. No, seriously, just read quite possibly the best lede ever written:Continue Reading

Jan 7th 2009 10:26PM by Chas Rich (author feed)
Apparently they can play some ball in the Ivy League. Okay maybe Harvard wouldn’t beat UNC, though, fellow Ivy Leaguer, Penn only lost by 15 to the Tar Heels.

Still the team that just went down to Chapel Hill to beat UNC comes home and loses at home to Harvard, 82-70. So, you could at least make connection. Or, you could chalk this one up to the classic let down game and/or looking past a presumed gimme.
”I tried to pre-warn them,” said [Boston College coach, Al] Skinner after one of the Eagles’ more disappointing regular season losses in many years. ”We were capable of being this team and capable of being another team.”
…
”I told them its a short trip from the main house to the big house to the out house,” Skinner said.
Apparently, Coach Skinner tried to give them a message.

The Eagles were guaranteed to struggle when their best player, guard Tyrese Rice, was held to only 3 points for the first 36 minutes. The best guard tonight was Harvard’s Jeremy Lin who went for 27 points and did his damage inside — 9-11 shooting from inside the arc.

So BC follows up handing the top team in the country their first defeat by coming home and losing to what was a 7-6 Harvard team that had losses to Boston University, Northeastern and William and Mary. It doesn’t erase the win from Sunday, but it sure makes it look like a fluke.

Jan 7th 2009 11:59PM by Pat Lackey (author feed)
There are some sentences that simply do not look right. “John Smoltz signs with the Red Sox” is one of them, but that’s apparently what’s going down tonight in Boston as Buster Olney is reporting that the long-time Brave is nearing a one-year deal with the Sox worth $5.5 million. It’s another nice move by the Sox to add rotation depth in a winter that’s already seen them add Brad Penny to Jon Lester, Daisuke Matsuzaka, Josh Beckett, and Tim Wakefield.

Really, though, seeing this doesn’t make me think about Boston’s rotation depth. John Smoltz the Atlanta Braves. I mean, Smoltz got the win in the only playoff game that I’ve ever attended in person. And that was . And I was . I’m going to be 24 in ten days. Glavine and Maddux left, but Smoltz always stayed. Starting, relieving, whatever. And now, he’s going to Boston. Weird.

I don’t want to get on a “baseball has no loyalty soapbox” because this happens to great players at the ends of their careers, so let’s look at the Red Sox for a second. They’ve got the six pitchers I named in the first paragraph and Clay Buchholz all fighting for rotation spots. Presumably, Smoltz should shift to the pen to set-up Jon Papelbon, if needed (his health is also probably an issue), or the Sox could pull the trigger on some kind of trade (Olney speculates Buchholz for Jarrod Saltlamacchia, but it’s all just guessing right now).

Sheesh, there’s going to be some kind of pennant race in the AL East next year. As if ESPN and FOX needed another reason to show nothing but Red Sox and Yankees games next year.

Jan 8th 2009 1:30AM by Adam Gretz (author feed)

After months of rumors, speculation, self-imposed deadlines and waiting, Mats Sundin finally took the ice on Wednesday night, making his debut with the Vancouver Canucks. The 37-year old Sundin played 24 shifts and logged 15:02 in ice-time, as the Canucks beat Edmonton, 4-2, snapping a two-game losing streak.

For nearly two periods it was a defensive battle, until the two teams had an offensive outburst combining for four goals in the final six minutes of the second period, including a pair from Vancouver’s Steve Bernier just 12 seconds apart. With the game tied, 1-1, Bernier ripped a slap shot behind Edmonton goalie Dwayne Roloson at the 17:20 mark, and then tapped in a one-timer on a feed from Alexandre Burrows to give the Canucks a 3-1 lead heading to the third period.

After Erik Cole scored his eighth goal of the season for Edmonton, cutting the deficit to 3-2, Pavol Demitra added an empty net goal with 36 seconds to play, clinching the win for Vancouver.

Bernier and Burrows each finished with three points for Vancouver, while Jason LaBarbera stopped 23-of-25 shots to pick up his second win as a member of the Canucks.Continue Reading

Jan 8th 2009 2:20AM by Brett Pollakoff (author feed)

That was all the Suns’ announcer could think of to say, as the Pacers’ Danny Granger sank a cold-blooded three-pointer with just 0.9 on the clock to give Indiana the last second victory in Phoenix.

Granger finished with a game high 37 points, and was hot all night long. So the question is, how was he that wide open for a game-winner, when he was clearly the one guy on the floor that the Suns did not want to see taking that shot? Afterwards, Terry Porter did his best to explain.Continue Reading