We discussed the Ryan Clark hit on Willis McGahee on this week's podcast, and Catfish had some differing opinions than the NFL on when and where violent hits are and are not acceptable. The league will not fine or discipline Clark in any way. From CBSSports.com Clark Judge:
"There will be no fine for Pittsburgh's Ryan Clark for his hit on Baltimore running back Willis McGahee. I spoke today with Mike Pereira, the league's vice president of officiating, and he said that once McGahee caught the ball and headed upfield he no longer was subject to the rules that protect quarterbacks or wide receivers in vulnerable positions. Yes, Pereira said, the hit was a helmet-to-helmet collision, but that's a penalty or finable offense only when it happens to quarterbacks in the throwing position or wide receivers who are unprotected while trying to catch the football. McGahee, he said, no longer was a receiver in a vulnerable position once he turned and headed upfield. Hence, the hit was legal."
So basically a quarterback or 'vunerable' receivers cannot take possibly debilitating helmet-to-helmet hits that could severly injure them, but if the player already caught the ball it is fine. As we mentioned on the Shackleford Files, it is our thought that these type of hits need to be limited across the board because this is what can happen. Clark himself was out of it from the hit. This is not an indictment of Clark, who I believe is not a dirty player but needs to hit less with his head. Clark does not deserve a suspension, but a fine for leading with the hardest part of your equipment that is covering your brain should not be out of the question either. McGahee harbors no ill will toward Clark and neither do we but the NFL needs to protect all players from unnecessary head injuries.
Tuesday, January 20
Last Word on Clark Hit
Monday, January 19
DeQuan Jones Can Jump
Miami freshman DeQuan Jones displayed his athleticism Saturday night against North Carolina in Chapel Hill. He had a resounding block and a ridiculous reverse jam. Unfortunately for the Canes, North Carolina's offensive skill was on display in the second half. The Tar Heels scored 46 in the second half including 7 threes from previously quiet Wayne Ellington for the easy 82-65 victory. Miami hung around early and even had a 9 point lead that created some rumblings in the Dean Smith Center, but the Hurricanes showed as they have all year that they are just not polished enough to compete on the elite level in college basketball yet. Still an impressive dunk however and sure to be revisited as one of the best of this year. That's two unreal plays by Miami against Carolina in the last 4 months when you include this block that occured in their football contest, but as great as these are to watch, UNC won both games.
Shackleford Files 006: A Thin Line Between Favre and Great
Recaps of the Conference Championship round games, a quick Super Bowl pick (we disagree), and Catfish is concerned about safety for players other than the snap-takers. We also take a look at the biggest day in college basketball during which Catfish offers love for not one but two Dookies and Cleet is concerned about safety for the Big East players. Julius Peppers wants to leave Carolina and we've got at least one person who's ready to help him pack. And as always our walk offs. Come for the sports, stay for the Marmaduke references. Drop us a line and let us know what you think. Download HERE.
Not the Time to be Playing CCR or Santana
Awful Announcing brings this story about the sound operator in Pittsburgh playing music while McGahee laid motionless on the field yesterday. I mentioned this to Catfish off-air before we started our podcast, but wanted to refrain from going on a tirade due to my Miami and Willis allegiances. It appears I was not the only one who noticed this ridiculousness. I do think it was classy to see the Pittsburgh players out there concerned for his well-being and the fans wishing him well as he was carted into the tunnel, but this sound guy deserves a brass candlestick to the face. Luckily Willis had feeling in his extremities and hopefully he will recover after the vicous helmet to helmet hit.
Steelers Sound Operator In Hot Water After Injury Music Choices. [Awful Annoucning]
De-Cleeting: Super Bowl 43
The vomitous filth that is Super Bowl coverage has commenced. Last year I avoided all coverage from twwl and it really enhanced my enjoyment of the torturous two weeks that preceed the final relevant football game until August. Catfish and I broke down yesterday's games on this week's podcast, so today a quick list of thoughts on the teams and the game to come.
Some things you will hear too many times over the next two weeks:
Ken Whisenhunt used to be the offensive coordinator for the Steelers when they alst won the Super Bowl.
The Cardinals last won a championship in 1947.
Troy Polamalu is good.
Larry Fitzgerald is good.
Mike Tomlin is not white.
Steeler fans travel really well.
Kurt Warner has been in the Super Bowl before.
Arizona was bad for a really long time.
The Cardinals are playing the "nobody believed in us"/disrespect card.
Jerome Bettis is from Detroit.
The Arizona Cardinals are in the Super Bowl, do you believe in unlikelihoods?
I'm sure fellow Miami Hurricane Calais Campbell pictured above appreciates how special the opportunity to play in a Super Bowl is, but being just a rookie he is fortunate enough not to have played on some of the Cardinal teams of futility. With the added inauguration of this president into office, I guess Kevin Garnett really knew what he was talking about last June. Players like Adrian Wilson had what this victory meant to the team all over his face as he could not hold back the tears. The emotion that followed the 32-25 Arizona win over the Eagles on Sunday in the NFC Championship game was just as potent for the team during the game. Ordinarily I would say that it is unwise to allow emotion to drive a team so much but the Cardinals used it to their benefit. Anquan Boldin had a literal shouting match with offensive coordinator Todd Haley, Fitzgerald who is normally low key was pumping up the crowd, and every play made by Arizona was followed with some sort of display. You have to play the game with emotion, but it is just a question of how much you let it guide your actions and decision-making and let it show on the surface that can determine your performance. The Cardinals let their emotions show, but also made the plays on the field. Also worth noting was Larry Fitzgerald breaking Jerry Rice's post-season receiving yard total in the first half Sunday. I think the secret is officially out on the best receiver in football.
Eagles' fans perhaps seeing yellow today.
With all the excitement surrounding the Arizona win, the lack of a flag on Philadelphia's 4th and 10 play will certainly be discussed in the city of brotherly love today. Kevin Curtis had an opportunity with both hands to catch the ball and it went through his hands, but at the same time he was falling to the ground because the defender (which was Hood I believe) had slipped and tripped up Curtis. If Hood had not stuck out his hand, it would have been a touchdown. At worst it should have been flagged. Not many people outside of Eagles' fans care too much. It was a bitter loss for the Eagles who had regained the lead with 10 minutes to go but their defense-of all things- let them down. Offensively they got what they wanted but missed on many of their chances. This could be the end of the McNabb/Reid era and if it is, I do not know where Philly should go from here.
Steelers simply more mature than the Ravens. 
Mike Tomlin and Ben Roethlisberger are no longer young pups in the NFL, at least they were not on Sunday. Going up against a rookie coach and QB on the other sideline, Pittsburgh got the best of the Ravens for the third time this year 24-13 in the AFC Championship game. Big Ben did what he had to in the collapsing pocket and made the throws while Flacco did not. Tomlin had his team in control the entire game while Harbaugh had a few stumples. I thought the Ravens would bring something more effective on offense considering this was the third meeting but their strategy fell flat. The Hines Ward injury will be interesting to watch but I suspect he will play if he came back into the game after going out initially unless Pittsburgh felt comfortable with putting a player back in the game with structural knee damage. The Steelers are favored to win in two weeks and their defense is the reason. So many times we have seen a great offense clash with a great defense and usually it is the defense that wins. Early prediction has me thinking the Steelers are going to win by more than one possession.
One more thing on Baltimore.
It is a shame that the heroic effort turned in by a banged up Ravens defense that went 18 weeks without a bye was all for naught. With injuries in the secondary and their best pass rusher nursing a bad shoulder, they held the Steelers in check and gave their offense a chacne to win if they could muster two scoring drives outside of the one they produced. It is folly to second guess coaching decisions on Monday morning but I do not get the Ravens' fourth and 1 call. They tried on 3rd and 1 to go no-huddle and catch the Steelers by surprise and QB sneak it. The Steelers defense was ready and Flacco called a timeout. They then tried to rush it up the middle which went for no gain and then on fourth down went back to the QB sneak which was snuffed out. Coming up empty on that possession was huge and if the Ravens had figured out a way to go away from the Steelers strength up fron on that play, the result may have been different.
Saturday, January 17
The Day Norv Turner Changed the NFL
In perhaps the biggest win of Norv Turner's career, he did not get a Super Bowl ring, but he did potentially get two former Super Bowl winners fired. During week 16, the Chargers headed to Tampa Bay to take on a Buccaneers team tied for first in the NFC South and undefeated at home. Turner's Chargers triumphed and the Bucs followed up the next week by losing at home, eliminating them from the playoffs. The victory set up a week 17 matchup against division rival the Denver Broncos. The Chargers would go on to win that game as well, but had they lost to Tampa Bay, both the Broncos and the Bucs would've made the playoffs. Instead, both of their Super Bowl winning coaches have been fired and both have hired 32-year old first time head coaches. Recently promoted defensive coordinator Raheem Morris will captain the ship in Tampa, and former New England offensive coordinator Josh McDaniels will head the Broncos.
Continue reading...Friday, January 16
Bobcats Movin and Shakin
It may be Friday, but while Cleet and I were occupied by Sporcle the Bobcats front office was wheeling and dealing. Just a month past their last deal, the Cats have dealt Matt Carroll and Ryan Hollins to the Mavericks for defensive specialist DeSagana Diop. The move clears out yet another wing scorer making room for Adam Morrison to get more minutes and they add another shot-blocking presence at the center position to backup Emeka Okafor. This move carries with it a very important message to Bobcat fans...
This team is trying to win sooner than later. Diop's contract runs just as long as Carrol's, but while Carrol's cap number decreases, Diop's escalates to $7.3 million (player option) during the 2012/2013 contract. Adding a long-term contract at the increase of nearly $4 million and trading away a younger player in Hollins points to a team trying to win sooner rather than later.
Diop was drafted by the Cleveland Cavaliers with the eighth pick in the project-era 2001 draft (aka the Kwame draft). Early in his career he was plagued with foot problems, both in the form of fractures and inflamation. Diop has also played for the Nets, where he was sent as part of the Jason Kidd/Devin Harris trade. Diop was pursued by the Bobcats during the offseason befoer re-signing with the Mavericks. His best season was the 05-06 season when he started 45 games for the Mavericks. He's never averaged more than nineteen minutes per game in a season but averages over a block per game. One concern for the Cats is the addition of another woeful free throw shooter, where Diop is a career 50% shooter. As adept as he is on the defensive end, he's equally as limited on the offensive end, making only one shot away from the rim this season.
The Cats lose a capable wing shooter in Carrol, but he struggled to adjust to Larry Brown's system and often saw action only in the closing seconds of periods or not at all. Dallas hopes he can regain his shooting touch to eleviate some of the pressure on Dirk and Jason Terry, the team's two primary threats from the perimeter. Hollins, an athletic 7-footer had also seen his playing time with Charlotte diminish and as an expiring contract (the trade would've worked withut his salary) he provides Dallas with a low-risk opportunity to get some young energy in the fold.
This trade doesn't feel like the last move for the Cats, as either Raymond Felton or Gerald Wallace could well still be on the move. Most importantly, the Bobcats have their first player deemed song-worthy by the YouTubers:
Lions Use the Schwartz
The Detroit Lions went 0-16 this season. I'm sure you haven't heard the news of the subsequent jokes about it. While I was hoping for the resurrection of Wayne Fontes, the organization decided to hire Tennessee Titans defensive coordinator Jim Schwartz. The next big move is to presumably draft a QB with the first pick, which has not always worked out for them. The 42 year-old says he is a blue-collar guy and that the team he puts on the field will be one to be proud of. Good Luck Jim, and may the Schwartz be with you.
Championship Games Mr. Green Locks
The slowdown in blog activity is directly the result of Catfish's introduction of Sporcle into our lives. For trivia-loving folks such as us, this is a death warrant. I have not gotten one thing accomplished since I wandered over to this place. After I finished the sports category I have been doing them at random. I am however taking a break from trying to name all of Elton John's top 40 hits to make my predictions for this weekend's games. How much value should you put into my picks? I went 0-4 last week so the answer is a lot! But at least I'm not bitching about my 0-for like Simmons. Spoke too soon about reading his stuff again I guess. On to the picks...
Regular Season: 158-97 (.614)
Playoffs: 3-5
PHI at ARI: Cardinals- I just finished typing that pick I want to change it. My big key to this game is how Warner plays. The Eagles offense is going to putter around as usual but score some points and the Eagles secondary can be exploited if Warner is accurate and on his game. So hopefully for Cards fans Warner will toss the bean better than he draws deities:
When Warner has a bad game, he can really have a bad game so while the game is not totally dependent on him, he has to play well for Arizona to stay in the game which according to my pick I think he will. Seeing the Pink Taco full and rowdy for not just a playoff game but a game for a trip to the Super Bowl. To me it will be like the Tampa Bay Rays at the Trop except the stadium is not a horrible piece of crap. This is not a slight on the Cardinals, I know they have been horrible for many years and used to play in a heat conductor of a shithouse stadium which I have been to, but it is a shock to the eyes to see franchises you have seen suck for so many years be playing in such an important game. I actually welcome it and hope it continues in the NFL and all sports.
BAL at PIT: Ravens- Just like Warner is the key to the Cards success, the key for Baltimore is turnovers. It does not get more cliche than turnovers but after forcing 8 so far in the playoffs, the Ravens have become good at it. This will be a battle like the one in Nashville and I think Pittsburgh's win against the Chargers was a little too easy and that combined with their poor record in conference championship games at Heinz Field leads me toward picking the Ravens. The running game will not be as fruitful for the Steelers as it was against San Diego last week. We were faced with the prospect of an all-Manning bowl whch failed, a Broadway bowl that failed so now I believe the Keystone State bowl will fail as well.
