MMA Fight Video
If, like me, you’re so busy catching up on Battlestar Galactica that you missed some recent MMA action — say, last night’s UFC bout or last week’s WEC matchups — then MMADepot has a lot of the footage aggregated in one place. If you need to figure out if a guy named “Urijah” can be a badass, this may be the place to go.
Jun 8, 2008 in Spurts | Comment (1)
Who is this Guy?
“You don’t notice Ernie Adams at first, but he’s always there in his own peculiar way. Walking the halls in the Patriots’ complex, lost in his own thoughts, he will often ignore co-workers. In meetings, he has been known to fall asleep. After practice, he is almost always the first person Bill Belichick consults. On game day, he’s in the press box with a headset on, running numbers, computing percentages and, some around the league insinuate, overseeing more insidious operations.” Belichick’s personal Moneyball machine — no wonder the Pats win!
Feb 2, 2008 in Spurts | Comment
Rex Ryan Stays With Baltimore Ravens
Successful Ravens Defensive Coordinator Rex Ryan, passed over for the Head Coach job, has decided to stay with the team after a raise and title boost. Honestly, so far the Ravens’ offseason is looking good — good coach, great new Offensive Coordinator, and now Ryan stays. All we need now is, oh yeah, a Quarterback.
Jan 29, 2008 in Spurts | Comment
Ravens fire head coach Billick after 5-11 season
I have to admit, I’m not entirely comfortable with this. I don’t think the team’s problems laid principally on his doorstep, and I don’t think there’s an obvious solution to those problems that comes from firing Billick. That said, I do think he’d run out of new ideas for the team so perhaps it was time to move on.
Jan 2, 2008 in Spurts | Comment
The Complete List Of Players Mentioned In The Mitchell Report
The players found to have been using performance-enhancement drugs. Actually, a surprisingly short list. Too short to have many surprises, although, Lenny Dykstra? Wasn’t he an awful long time ago to be on this report? Also, wonder how many used these drugs to recover from injury vs. gain strength (although obviously using them would give you both). I’ll admit I was a bit worried I’d see Cal Ripken’s name there, just because, how else do you stay so invulnerable? Good to know it was hard work & luck. Also, shocking number of SoCal players on that list — did the Dodgers & Angels have a real problem?
Dec 13, 2007 in SpurtsSpurts | Comment
The Kick Is Up and It’s ... A Career Killer
The secret life of the field goal kicker: from Tom Dempsey, the club-footed holder of the record for the longest field goal ever, through the Bills’ Scott Norwood, famous for his Super Bowl-losing kick, through Indy’s “liquored-up idiot kicker” Mike Vanderjagt, who went from most accurate kicker in the NFL to out of the game in a year, to former Pats hero Adam Vinatieri.
Nov 26, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
We Burned Your Town To The Ground!
The other side of football… Kansas and Missouri have been scrapping since 10 years before the Civil War, and they’re playing this weekend; winner might make it to the national championship game. So Missouri brings out t-shirt celebrating a pre-Civil War massacre of Kansans by pro-slavery militia from Missouri, and Kansas fans start wearing John Brown t-shirts. Well, I know which side I’m on; go Jayhawks!
Nov 23, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
Players parlay a jersey trade into a single mom's dream
Sometimes we don’t hear actual good news… but this is good news, about good people. A football player wants to change their jersey number, the player who has that number says, hey, rather than paying me, let’s do something good… they pitch in $25k, the team owner pitches in $25k, and a single mother with an autistic child gets a house she never could’ve afforded.
Nov 23, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
Predicted NFL Standings for 2007
“We asked ourselves, “How should we present our predictions for the season?” Using Star Wars characters was the obvious answer. Actually, Star Wars is the answer to most important questions.” Brilliant, although, it’s a little weird to read a blog written by people who are so clearly going to burn in hell.
Aug 27, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
O's give up 30 runs in loss to Rangers
“The Texas Rangers became the first team in 110 years to score 30 runs in a game, setting an American League record Wednesday in a 30-3 rout of the Orioles.” Oy, I think it’s time for me to start becoming embarrassed.
Aug 22, 2007 in Breaking NewsBreaking News | Comment
Marshall's unpopular mechanics
Someone’s trying to lengthen the careers of pitchers by teaching them completely new and different mechanics, based on science, that prevent them from doing so much damage to their arms. Of course Major League Baseball doesn’t trust it.
Jun 12, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
Does UFC have boxing's number?
I certainly think so. UFC fighters are consistently more skillful than all except a few boxers, and the fights more entertaining, than most boxing matches. It would be great if a real sport could overtake staged wrestling, too.
May 26, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
Far be it from me to pass up any chance to mock a Colt
Apr 28, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
Anti-doping case against Landis may be in jeopardy
Sounds like the testing lab is not well-operated and may have done some shady things around Landis’s urine. This is bad if Landis was improperly accused, and also bad if he was correctly caught but the procedures were too sketchy to make it stick. Also makes me wonder about the standards of workplace drug testing firms, given that so many people are tested these days.
Feb 23, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
Irsay considers L.A. his home away from home
Because the no-good, drug addict, guido son of a no-good, drunk traitor is also a carpetbagger. Watch out people of Indianapolis, this man might give you yours some day, no matter how much you love your stolen team.
Jan 31, 2007 in Spurts | Comment (2)
Old Colts sack AFC champs
“Berry, who teamed with Unitas to form one of the most prolific quarterback-receiver tandems in history, said, ‘To me, the Indianapolis Colts don’t have any connection to the Baltimore Colts. I don’t see any connection whatsoever. The Baltimore Colts will always be the Baltimore Colts.’” Although, in fairness, Berry also says that Peyton Manning reminds him of Unitas.
Jan 29, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
The Lost Season
The Washington Redskins fell apart this year. In this three-part series, the Post looks at what actually happened. Not just sports journalism — often too homer-y and unanalytical — this is an example of good journalism about sports. Also see parts 2 and 3.
Jan 3, 2007 in Spurts | Comment
Fielding a Faltering Team
My alma mater’s football team is apparently a bit down these days, being undermanned and losing. I wonder what happened; they were good when I was there, with a few winning seasons in a row. Still, I support them. Chirp chirp!
Dec 4, 2006 in Spurts | Comment
Never A'ssume, it makes... ah, you know
Why the Oakland A’s have that annoying, grammatically-incorrect apostrophe in their name. (Quick summary: “It’s Connie Mack’s fault.”) They actually have a good excuse, unlike my hometown O’s.
Via Uni Watch
Nov 19, 2006 in Spurts | Comment
What Keeps Bill Parcells Awake at Night
Inside the psyche and practices of successful NFL coach Bill Parcells.
Oct 29, 2006 in Spurts | Comment
That Was the Year That Was
A recap of the greatest uniform-related disasters in baseball this season, including the Rockies’ difficulties with the name on Jason Smith’s jersey.
Oct 3, 2006 in Spurts | Comment
New Oregon Ducks Uniforms
The poster child team for hideous unis introduces a new design. Me, I love it, even with all of the possible combinations, although I suspect this will be really difficult for quarterbacks to deal with, what with them having to recognize so many different looks 30 yards away with just a split-second to make the decision to throw the pass or not.
Report clears Armstrong of '99 doping allegations
A whole new ballgame
“Whattayaknow? The Orioles wound up stinging the Devil Rays 9-6. Currently in first place. Currently undefeated in 2006… Rationality can wait ‘til tomorrow. The O’s are in first!”
Oh, If Only They Wore Cups In Basketball
“That’s Texas guard Daniel Gibson trying to guard Texas A&M’s Acie Law during their game on Wednesday — and either it was a very good fake by Law, or Gibson just doesn’t believe in the tyranny of underwear. Or both.” If that’s what’s really showing out of Daniel Gibson’s shorts, then he’s got nothing to worry about.
How To Watch the Winter Olympics
Brilliant e-mail-style back-and-forth culturati take on the Olympics.
Red Sox affiliate offers incentive to drop 'Yankees'
“The Class A Lowell Spinners of the New York-Penn League say that if youth baseball leagues across New England change the name of a team from the Yankees to the Spinners, Lowell would pay for new uniforms.” Good riddance to bad rubbish!
Colts' Upset Loss Forces 'Indy Star' to Shelve Super Bowl Plans
“Among those predicting victory were editors at The Star, who had already booked eight hotel rooms in the Motor City. The newspaper was planning to send 20 staffers to the big game, and was preparing to print special victory editions for distribution after the game in both Indianapolis and Detroit. The paper had even commissioned a book on the ‘Super Bowl season, with 16 chapters already written by Colts beat writer Phil Wilson.” OK, I’ll gloat a bit!
College Football Victory Chain Linker
If you suppose that if Team A beat Team B and Team B beat Team C then Team A must be better than Team C, you’ll like seeing how your team is better than all those out there. My alma mater, Pomona College, should be ranked #3 and going to the Fiesta Bowl because the Sagehens are better than Penn State.
Ask The Referee
“Jerry Markbreit retired from football officiating in 1998 after 43 consecutive seasons, including 23 in the NFL. Along the way he worked a record four Super Bowls and became one of the most recognizable referees in the game. For the past four seasons he’s lent his expertise to ChicagoSports.com in the form of a weekly answer column.”
There's no joy in Baltimore
“This was going to be the year the Orioles not only finished above .500 for the first time since 1997, but made the playoffs. On May 26, they were 30-16, they led the American League East by 4½ games, they had good young starting pitching, a quality closer and a great lineup… Now, they are a mess.”
Pro-Football-Reference
Stats stats stats for free free free
Orioles 11, Boston 8
“Winners of five straight, the Orioles have not been in first place this late in the season since 1997.” Gosh, I wonder when my Os get on TV out here this year?
The Shadow Boxer
“Emile Griffith beat Benny (Kid) Paret to death in the ring after Paret called him queer. That was 43 years ago. He’s still struggling to come to grips with it.” This show is definitely on my Tivo!
Unlikely Basketball Shot
A Lacrosse Movie?
“Silverman was a 27-year-old assistant graduate school dean at Morgan State in 1969 when Earl Banks, the school’s legendary football coach and athletic director, stopped him on a walk across campus. Baltimore’s epic civil rights struggle was at a crescendo. ‘Earl said to me, “Silverman, you’re white; you play lacrosse?” ’ Silverman recalled. Next thing I knew, I was coaching.’”
It'll Take a Savage Effort to Reconstruct Browns
The Browns just hired, as their GM, my Ravens’ (effectively) Assistant GM. This is why, and a stark contrast between two teams.
Take Your Wonderlic
Virtually all the NFL players have to take this test as they’re evaluated before the draft. How would you do? My score on the short version projects to something in the mid-30s.
Football Caponomics
How to evaluate the value of players and coaches, using the cap as a lens. Note to self: this kind of content is all the football you get for the next few months!
Sell The Orioles
“WE, the lifelong fans of the Baltimore Orioles, demand new ownership. We want someone other than Peter G. Angelos owning, making decisions and fortifying the baseball team and civic treasure that is the Orioles.”
Sabermetrics For Football
Statistical analysis of decision-making is gaining a foothold in football.
The Band Plays On
“For most of Baltimore, Robert Irsay’s whimsical decision to move the team to Indianapolis in the middle of that March night, taking everything Colts with him, was like jamming a steak knife through their hearts, creating an unbearable pain that would take decades to heal.”
[n.b. it’s William Donald Schaefer not William David Schaefer]
A Day In The Life Of Pete Carroll
“It was a 15-hour work day - and that’s shorter than normal - packed with about seven hours of interacting with game film, three hours of interacting with media and three hours of interacting with his players.”
Peter Gammons Says "Baltimore Bullpen Impressive"
Something I never expected to hear this year, or even next (to say nothing of the last few years)… the Orioles bullpen has a2.67 ERA and 61 strikeouts in 67 innings!