Action-Reaction: August 31, 2008

Yesterday was a big day in the world of sports. The college football season continued its kickoff. Seven hundred four NFL players lost their jobs or shots at a job. Baseball is entering the stretch run. The NBA and NHL are chillin'.

Action: Many, many players lost their jobs yesterday. Some notables: Cincinnati Bengals Rudi Johnson and Willie Anderson, Atlanta Falcon Joey Harrington, Philadelphia Eagle Jerome McDougle, San Francisco 49er Ashley Lelie, Tennessee Titan Roydell Williams, and Baltimore Raven Gary Stills.
Reaction: It seems like most of the cuts are former high-round picks that were trying to get a fresh start with a new team, such as Harrington or Lelie, and just couldn't cut it. The day where the NFL teams trim their rosters down to the minimum has become symbolic for wasted talent, lack of maturity, and horrible development. Johnson and Anderson will most likely catch on with new teams, but the others are more up in the air.

Action: Jacksonville Jaguars star running back Fred Taylor and former star wide receiver Jimmy Smith were both arrested in separate incidents within five hours of each other.
Reaction: This really has to suck for the Jaguars organization. The two faces of their franchise and two likeable members of their franchise could become a black eye for them. Smith was charged with DUI and possession of marijuana while Taylor was charged with disorderly conduct. According to Black and Teal, it does not seem like Taylor was involved in any illegal activity.

Action: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson has changed his name to Chad Ocho Cinco.
Reaction: Honestly, the only reaction I have to this is hysterical laughter. This story is so ridiculous that it's just funny. Johnson, er, Ocho Cinco, is a good wide receiver and a great personality. He probably isn't the exact type of guy that Marvin Lewis wants in the locker room, but the guy has a personality and likes to have fun. Which is cool with me.

Action: The New York Yankees lose to the Toronto Blue Jays 7-6 and drop to 11.5 games back of the Tampa Bay Rays in the AL East.
Reaction: I'm not going to call the Yankees dead. Yet. But I will say the division is done. The Yankees, barring a major, and I mean major, miracle, they're out of the division race, which will come down to the Boston Red Sox and Rays. However, they are seven games out of the wild-card behind Boston, so if the BoSox stumble, the Yanks could be in there. But if not, expect another flurry of offseason moves from the Steinbrenners.

Action: San Antonio Spurs guard Manu Ginobili will need surgery to repair a torn ligament in his left ankle.
Reaction: A lot of rag on Ginobili for being soft and for being a flopper. However, after seeing him play through his injury at the Olympics, he deserves to be looked at in a whole new way. He played through an obviously painful injury and helped lead his country to a bronze medal. He deserves some credit for this.

Action: The Alabama Crimson Tide dismantled the Clemson Tigers, 34-10.
Reaction: This is going to lead to more talk of SEC dominance. I have always been hesitant to delve into this subject, as I'm a firm believer in the "any given Sunday" philosophy, and I don't think the SEC will always win, but they proved to me last night that they are the class of the nation. The ACC's best could not compete with the SEC's fifth or sixth. So yeah.

Action: In the game I really wanted to watch last night, the Missouri Tigers held off the Illinois Fighting Illini for a 52-42 victory.
Reaction: This was the game of the year so far in the NCAA. Mizzou was up 31-13 at halftime, but let the Illini back into it. It took great plays by Jeremy Maclin and the defense for Missouri to pull this one out. Unfortunately, Maclin sprained his ankle, an injury that could severely hamper the Tigers. Both of these young teams are on the rise and should be forces to be reckoned with later this fall.

Action: Michigan loses their opener at home to Utah, 25-23.
Reaction: New coach Rich Rodriguez is in for a long year.

Action-Reaction: August 17, 2008

This is the first edition of Action-Reaction in forever, but I need to get my blogging groove back and I decided this would be the best way possible. A lot has been going on lately and I'll try to get you all up to date and I'll try not to focus entirely on the Olympics.

Action: Michael Phelps wins his record-breaking eighth gold medal of the Games.
Reaction: See Someone Get Me a Dictionary! and someone has to give credit to his relay teams. Without them, none of this happens.

Action: Usain Bolt dominates the men's 100-meter final for a world record and gold medal for Jamaica.
Reaction: See Someone Get Me a Dictionary! again.

Action: Cincinnati Bengals wide receiver Chad Johnson injured his left shoulder against the Detroit Lions in preseason action.
Reaction: Is this some karma for Ocho Cinco's offseason antics? Probably not, but with Rudi Johnson and T.J. Houshmandzadeh both injured, Johnson needs to get back as soon as possible and put racing Phelps out of his head.

Action: The Philadelphia 76ers resigned star player Andre Iguodala to a six-year, $80-million dollar contract.
Reaction: With the addition of Elton Brand also in the offseason, the 76ers are looking to hopefully win now.

Action: Georgia is #1 in the preseason polls for NCAA Football.
Reactions: The Dawgs better enjoy it because being in the SEC, they won't be there for long.

Action: Carl Edwards holds off Kyle Busch for a win at Michigan.
Reaction: The Chase for the Cup is looking to be a great duel between Edwards and Busch, two of my favorite drivers on the circuit. I'm all for it. Go get 'em boys.

Action: New New York Jets quarterback Brett Favre threw his first touchdown pass in a preseason game.
Reaction: Well whoopdy-freaking-doo. Go change your underwear ESPN.

Action-Reaction: June 8, 2008

Yesterday, as most of you know, Big Brown went for horse racing immortality. His attempt to become the first horse to win the Triple Crown in 30 years captivated the nation. But like Funny Cide and Smarty Jones before him, he fell short at the Belmont Stakes.

I missed the race yesterday because I was at church. When I came home, they were interviewing Kent Desomourx, Big Brown’s jockey. Desomourx actually sounded like he was from Jockey Land. Anyway, Desomourx simply said, “I had no horse.” This feeling caused Desomourx to pull Big Brown out part-way through the race and just jog the horse in.

Some people out there probably feel that Big Brown should have been pushed all the way in, regardless of how he felt. Well as a runner, I know that is not possible. In the replay, Big Brown comes out of the gates pretty powerful, but after a few moments, it is clear that he is totally flat. That is the worst feeling ever as a runner coming off of the start. You feel like you cannot go any faster than how you are already running, which is not that fast. This feeling usually comes from not working hard enough the week before in practice or not warming up enough before the race starts. Big Brown was not able to get as much work in as his trainers had hoped for him in the weeks before the Belmont. This lack of work had an adverse affect on Big Brown, causing him to come out of the blocks totally fast.

Because being flat comes from not training enough in the weeks before a race or not warming up enough, your muscles are not in racing condition. Pushing yourself through the flat feeling in a race is not the best idea. When you push through the flat feeling, you risk injury. Stress fractures, hamstring pulls, and knee problems can result from pushing too hard when your body is not ready for it. Desomourx did not want to risk serious injury to Big Brown, and even said that he wanted to save his horse. Pulling Big Brown up and jogging him in was a good idea.
I am not saying that you should not pull up in every race you feel flat in, as there are always parts of races you will feel flat in. In the 800m, you hit the 400m wall. At the 400 mark, you are supposed to start your kick and you start to feel like you are flying. However, at the 500m mark, the realization that there are 300m to go kicks in and immediately saps all the energy out of your legs. The flat feeling returns, but the fact it comes so late in the race and it comes where you are supposed to be tired is no reason to pull up and jog it in. Feeling flat in the first 100m is a type of situation that can call for pulling up in a race. I have seen teammates do it before. It is rather embarrassing, but you know it is for your own health.

I do feel sorry that Big Brown did not win the Triple Crown. It could have provided the boost that the horse racing industry needs, but I feel the industry will continue to struggle if incidents like the ones surrounding Barbaro and Eight Belles continue. Desomourx was right to save Big Brown, although it seems like he passed up a chance at eternal glory, but it was for Big Brown’s
sake.

Action-Reaction: April 20, 2008

We all know what today is. Therefore, I am foregoing the usual Action-Reaction and instead I am going to give you some suggestions on who the best people to celebrate today with are! Enjoy!

Well for starters, if you're in the Cleveland area, there is Kenny Wright....

...and if you prefer no-name defensive backs, Willie Andrews is another option...

...or for NBA players, Keon Clark seems to know what he is doing...

...and Quincy Carter has a bit of a history...

...Kellen Tillman from Texas Tech seems to enjoy the same thing...

...Damon Stoudemire and Rasheed Wallace are some notable names...


...ah, Jerramy Stevens, you're such a cool dude...

...Theo Davis and Josh Heytvelt like the stuff as well...




...the Bengals and Jonathon Joseph are involved with a little something-something...


...and of course, the grandaddy of them all, Mr. Ricky Williams...



Thanks to TheSportsCritics for this info...

Action-Reaction: April 13, 2008

So this is coming out a little bit later than normal, but there are definitely some extraordinary circumstances behind this one.

Last night we had a "jazz band lock-in" at my school, where we all got together and practiced from 7 PM to 5 AM. Granted, we only practiced for about four of those hours, but getting to bed at 5:45 AM and waking up at 12:30 PM is not that much fun. Especially with still having an English essay about Holden Caulfield to write. So here's an abbreviated Action-Reaction.

Action: Gavin Floyd nearly no-hits the struggling Detroit Tigers.
Reaction: It's great to see Floyd finally do something great. This guy is from the Baltimore area and went to one of the local prep schools. As a Phillies fan, I really wanted him to succeed with the Phillies, but I feel he can reach his projected potential eventually with the White Sox. Hopefully, he will continue to get better and live up to all of his potential.

Action: The Yankees have unearthed the Red Sox jersey a worker buried under the new Yankee Stadium.
Reaction: It would have all worked if he had just kept his mouth shut. Those Red Sox fans and their big mouths....

Action: The Arizone Diamondbacks have won eight straight games.
Reaction: Arizona has to be the most underrated, disrespected, not talked about team out there. So much talent on one team that gets no publicity or press. The Rockies became media darlings last year on their run, while the Diamondbacks were just kind of "that team that won that one division out there." So start respecting those Diamondbacks.

Action: Bill Self has agreed to a new deal at Kansas.
Reaction: I think he'll stick around for a few more years and have Kansas back in the Final Four in the next four years.

Action: Tyler Hansbrough has swept all major awards.
Reaction: Great player. Should be able to repeat his performance if he stays for his senior season.

Boom.

Action-Reaction: April 6, 2008

Well I am back. For SIFS. Again. Woot.

Action: The Tampa Bay Rays and Baltimore Orioles are atop first place in the AL East.
Reaction: I love early season baseball.

Action: Nick Markakis is my new mancrush.
Reaction: He definitely is, and deservedly so.

Action: The Boston Celtics have clinched home court advantage in the playoffs and set the record for largest single season turnaround, a 37-game swing from last year.
Reaction: Of course you are going to have a turnaround when you trade for three of the top players in the game your team is going to be good. This reminds, in a way, of the Yankees. Bostonians, are you fine with that identity? Being Yankee-like?

Action: Texas and Wyoming are starting a college football series that will meet three times in 2009, 2010, and 2012. The Wyoming athletic director said that it would be the biggest game in the history of Wyoming's stadium.
Reaction: Yeah, bring out a big team so your home fans can get your butts kicked. One thing is for sure, I will be rooting for Wyoming in these games.

Action: Memphis and Kansas have clinched spots in the NCAA title game.
Reaction: For all the talk of the top four seeds giving the best games, I was not exactly blown away by either game. The first half of Memphis-UCLA was the best part of any game. Memphis just took it to them in the second half, and North Carolina and Kansas were playing way too out of control. That Kansas-North Carolina game was almost painful to watch actually.

Action: I can't stand Billy Packer as an announcer.
Reaction: He sounded like a pompous, arrogant jerk during the Kansas-UNC game, criticizing every little thing. There was one play most notably where Wayne Ellington got a rebound, ran the length of the court and sank three. Packer started gushing all over him about how that was a great play and great decision. Fact is, if Ellington misses that shot, Packer is all over him for making a bad decision. I'm sure that's the case for all announcers, but Packer really bothered me last night. Really bothered me a lot.

Action: Jake Peavy two-hits the Dodgers in a 4-1 complete game win.
Reaction: Once they start breaking out the complete games, you know baseball has arrived. And baseball has arrived. Peavy will again be top five in Cy Young voting.

Action: Arizona freshman guard Jerryd Bayless is leaving Arizona early for the NBA Draft.
Reaction: Bayless is just clearing space for my boy, Brandon Jennings.

Action: Eric Gordon will enter the NBA Draft.
Reaction: Yeah, get out of Indiana as fast as you can. I do not blame you.

Action: The Denver Nuggets have fallen into an eighth place tie with the Golden State Warriors.
Reaction: When these two teams meet Thursday, that's going to be a good game.

Action: The Washington Capitals have clinched the Southeast Division in the NHL.
Reaction: Alex Ovechkin is the MVP. No question about it. If he does not win, it is robbery.

BAM.

Action-Reaction: March 30, 2008

So here it goes:

Action: The Raiders have signed Kalimba Edwards to a two-year contract.
Reaction: This means the Raiders have signed/acquired/franchised six players for their defense. Their defense better be better this year or it is not going to be pretty in RaiderNation. The only thing I can really compare this to is how the Patriots reloaded their offense last offseason. Oakland is not New England, however, so it remains to be seen how much this will actually help. I am not suggesting that it will have a New England-esque effect, but it definitely could help the Raiders.

Action: North Carolina and UCLA are in the Final Four.
Reaction: My original bracket had a Roy Hibbert-Kevin Love matchup in the Championship Game, but I am thinking of trading that for a Tyler Hansbrough-Love matchup. The only bad thing about that matchup would be that viewers would have to watch that game on mute because it would turn into a lovefest between the announcers. I barely made it through the last five minutes of the North Carolina-Louisville games. Yes, we know these guys are good. We know that they are not supposed to be able to make three-pointers and outside shots, but they do. We do not need to hear the announcers gush over their talents non-stop for three hours. It would be a great game. I just would not want to listen to it.

Action: Davidson plays Kansas today while Texas goes up against Memphis for the remaining Final Four spots.
Reaction: Since Georgetown lost, I have been going all out for Davidson to go far. Davidson is either going to be able to hang tough and upset Kansas or just get blown out of the water, almost like Xavier was against UCLA. Davidson has probably increased their fanbase five-fold over the course of the tournament. As for Texas-Memphis, I am scared. I have Memphis in this game, but Texas could very easily win this. Texas was a very quiet team this year, at least to me, as they did not have a Kevin Durant on the team. They are good, and a team to watch.

Action: Jeff Conine has retired after signing a one-day contract with the Florida Marlins.
Reaction: As someone who has seen numerous Orioles games, I really liked Conine. He always seemed to come up with a good play and he was just an old school ballplayer whose style you could admire and imitate. The man did have two World Series rings too.

Action: Dallas Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has very high interest in Tennessee Titans suspended cornerback/strip club frequenter Adam "Pacman" Jones.
Reaction: All I have to say is that if Jerry has his way, the circus is coming to town. Preliminary reports say that the Cowboys offered a seventh-round pick, but according to reports that I cannot view because I am not a "member" on any of the major sports news outlets, Dallas is willing to add a player to the package.

Action: Baltimore Ravens veteran offensive tackle Jonathon Ogden is uncertain on a return for the 2008 NFL season.
Reaction: Ogden is citing the health of his big toe as his reason for waiting. In my opinion, the Ravens need to know his decision soon, as his retirement could significantly influence their draft plans come April.

Action: The Johns Hopkins men's lacrosse team has lost four straight games.
Reaction: First time I ever remember anything happen like this to the Blue Jays.

Action: Jack Roush has accused Michael Waltrip of stealing a sway bar in "intellectual espionage."
Reaction: The only reason this story has any meaning to me is Roush's quote of "It's lawyer time" when asked about the incident.

Action: Opening Day for Major League Baseball is tomorrow.
Reaction: !!!

Action-Reaction: March 2, 2008

Movers & Shakers

With free agency starting early Friday morning, many moves were made fast. This week Action-Reaction takes a look at the teams which were Movers and the teams that were Shakers. I am also joined by my good friend BSchwartz who is examining the teams that were not movers or shakers. Now, I'll give you a little definition right here. A mover is a team that made one or two big signings and possibly some smaller signings, while a shaker is a team that made multiple big moves and spent (or blew) a lot of cash on their acquisitions.

I would also like to thank BSchwartz for doing the anti-movers and anti-shakers.

Movers

Philadelphia Eagles
The Eagles acted quickly, signing former New England Patriots cornerback Asante Samuel to a six-year, $57 million contract on the first day of free agency. The contract has $20 million in guaranteed money and $32 million in the first three years of the contract. The acquisition of the 27-year old Samuel triggers change in the Eagles secondary, as Lito Sheppard has been implicated in trade rumors, most prominently for Larry Fitzgerald in Arizona or to New England for the #7 draft pick. The other Eagles corner, Sheldon Brown, could be moved to safety, providing help to the aging Brian Dawkins.

Philadelphia has also reached an agreement with 26-year old defensive end Chris Clemons, formerly of the Oakland Raiders. In 2007, Clemons tied for the lead on the Raiders for sacks with a career-high eight. The Eagles hope that Clemons can team with Trent Cole and also replace the recently-cut Jevon Kearse.

The Eagles have also been linked to Randy Moss, although there does not seem to be enough cap room for both Samuel and Moss.

Yet another rumor has the Eagles pursuing Javon Walker, although I do not see Andy Reid taking a risk on an injured cancer. Yes, I am still bitter over his exit from Green Bay.

San Francisco 49ers
The 49ers built on last year's defensive free agency splurge, signing former Bengals defensive end Justin Smith to a six-year, $45 million deal. Smith recorded 43.5 sacks in his seven years with Cincinnati. Smith cancelled trips to Minnesota and Jacksonville after receiving a helicopter tour of San Francisco. Smith had at least five sacks in his first six seasons with the Bengals before recording only two last year. Smith was the No. 4 overall pick of the 2001 NFL Draft out of Missouri.

CBSSports.com's Clark Judge writes that this is a horrible move for the 49ers.

The 49ers also signed former Pittsburgh Steelers cornerback Allen Rossum and former St. Louis Rams wide receiver Isaac Bruce. Neither of those moves seems to have that much of an effect on the 49ers, as Rossum mostly saw action as a special teams player last season and Bruce has seen his numbers decline in recent years.

New York Jets
The Jets have been active this offseason, first trading linebacker Jonathon Vilma to New Orleans and then acquiring Carolina Panthers defensive tackle Kris Jenkins. I have read that Jenkins may not be the best option for Eric Mangini's 3-4 defense, but he will provide some meat up front to help the Jets linebackers.

The Jets made one of the biggest splashes in free agency so far, signing former Steelers guard Alan Faneca to a record five-year, $40 million contract. The deal has the most guaranteed money and the highest average per year given to an offensive lineman. Faneca will start on the Jets offensive line between former first-round picks D'Brickashaw Ferguson and Nick Mangold. This seems like a good match for the Jets and Faneca, but Die Hard Steel's Neal Coolong says that the honeymoon period in New York will be short lived.

The Jets are not done yet wither. NFL.com's Adam Schefter has linked the Jets to Detroit Lions free agent Damien Woody, who was coached by Mangini in New England. The Jets are also interested in former Arizona linebacker Calvin Pace who visited Miami Saturday.

St. Louis Rams
With the retirement of longtime kicker Jeff Wilkins, the Rams acted quickly, signing Josh Brown away from the division rival Seattle Seahawks to a five-year deal. The deal is rumored to have a $4 million signing bonus attached to it, unheard of for a kicker.

Minnesota Vikings
Minnesota bolstered both sides of its passing game, signing Bernard Berrian and Madieu Williams. Berrian comes to Minnesota from Chicago where he played four seasons. The Vikings priority this offseason was providing more receiving targets for young quarterback Tarvaris Jackson who threw only nine touchdown passes in 2007. The Vikings signed Berrian to a six-year, $42 million contract, with $16 million guaranteed. In my book, that is overpaying a bit.

On the other side, the Vikings signed Williams away from the Bengals with a deal worth $33 million over six years, while signing fullback Thomas Tapeh to a five-year, $6 million contract. The Williams signing will help replace free agent Dwight Smith while Tapeh will provide some blocking for running backs Adrian Peterson and Chester Taylor.

Shakers

Cleveland Browns
Cleveland has probably made THE biggest splashes in free agency this year. The club kept quarterback Derek Anderson in front of Brady Quinn by signing him to a three-year deal worth around $24 million. That is a far cry from the six-year, $65 million contract Anderson wanted, but for a 24-year old, it seems like it could work. Anderson was the surprise of last season with 34 touchdown passes, although he was inconsistent, throwing 27 interceptions.

The Browns bolstered their defense by acquiring two top defensive tackles in Shaun Rogers and Corey Williams. Apparently, Rogers-to-Cincy was a done-deal that fell through, allowing the Browns to swoop in and snatch Rogers from Detroit for cornerback Leigh Bodden and a third-round pick in the April draft. Williams was from the Green Bay Packers for a third-round pick in the draft as well. Rogers will have an impact immediately, while it remains to be seen if Williams will be able to repeat last year's performance. As League of Shadows likes to say, he could be the next Cletidus Hunt.

What seems to be the biggest acquisition for the Browns however is the acquisition of Donte Stallworth from New England. Stallworth will team with Braylon Edwards who is coming off of a breakout season in which he caught 16 touchdown passes. Stallworth was signed to a seven-year contract worth $35 million. In my opinion, seven years is a little too much for Stallworth given his durability issues and the fact that he has not had one of "those" seasons where everything has gone right. However, he will take pressure off of Edwards and is just another weapon, complementing Kellen Winslow and Jamal Lewis.

Buffalo Bills
The Bills are second behind the Browns in the splash zone for 2008 free agency. Their biggest move came Saturday when they acquired Jacksonville Jaguars defensive tackle Marcus Stroud for draft picks. The Bills also signed former NY Giants linebacker Kawika Mitchell and former Minnesota defensive tackle Spencer Johnson to five-year contracts. Buffalo also released longtime defensive tackle Larry Triplett.

The Bills look poised to make a run at the AFC East division crown, given the inactivity of New England, or at least a Wild-Card berth. According to agent Joel Segal, Arizona Cardinals wide receiver Bryant Johnson is scheduled to visit Buffalo Sunday along with Titans tight end Ben Troupe. The Bills could be contenders next year folks. Or they could be pretenders.

Oakland Raiders
Oakland has been an interesting case this free agency. Fact is, none of their moves make that much sense, but they are still throwing the money around. The Raiders boosted their defense, signing former New York Giants safety Gibril Wilson to a six-year, $39 million contract. In the last four years, Wilson has averaged 6.9 tackles per game, tops in the NFL for safeties. Wilson has started since 2004, his rookie season, and is expected to contribute to a sluggish Oakland D immediately. Wilson replaces Stuart Schweigart and Hiram Eugene at free safety, and puts the talk of moving Michael Huff to free safety to rest.

The Raiders made one of the most eyebrow-raising moves this offseason, signing defensive tackle Tommy Kelly to a seven-year deal worth upwards of $50 million, with over $18 million guaranteed. That is without mentioning Kelly is coming off of reconstructive knee surgery. Kelly was undrafted out of Mississippi State in 2004, but has earned high praise from Oakland teammates such as Warren Sapp. Kelly is versatile enough to play either inside or outside, which could help relieve some of the pain of losing Chris Clemons.

The Raiders placed the franchise tag on corner Nnamdi Asomugha, paying him $9.465 million in 2008. The Raiders were also able to re-sign running back Justin Fargas to a three-year, $12 million contract before he hit free agency. However, Al Davis could not retain Clemons, wide receiver Jerry Porter, or backup quarterback Josh McCown.

Miami Dolphins
The Bill Parcells purge continues in South Beach. The Miami Herald is reporting that the Dolphins and defensive end Jason Taylor are on the verge of parting ways, following suit of longtime friend and teammate Zach Thomas, ending an era in Miami.

Parcells has made some key additions to the Dolphins, boosting their chances for a better 2008. The addition of Reggie Torbor boosts the linebacking corps that lost Thomas to the Cowboys. Torbor signed a four-year deal with Miami after winning the Super Bowl with the Giants last season. The Dolphins added another linebacker in Charlie Anderson, who most recently played for Houston. Former Titans defensive tackle Randy Starks and former 49ers guard Justin Smiley were both signed to five-year contracts by the Dolphins. And this was just the second day of free agency.

On the first day of free agency, Parcells signed former Raiders and Cardinals quarterback Josh McCown to a two-year deal where he will try to become 13^th starting quarterback in Miami since the retirement of Dan Marino. The lone holdover of last season's quarterback carousel is second-year pro John Beck who saw action in his rookie campaign last season. The Dolphins released Cleo Lemon and Trent Green, both of whom were utterly disappointing in 2007.

Miami acquired Dallas Cowboys nose tackle Jason Ferguson and their sixth-round pick in the 2008 Draft for the Dolphins 2008 and 2009 sixth-round selections. Parcells signed former Cowboys draftee Sean Ryan to a one-year deal. Ryan has nine catches for 90 yards in his career, which includes a stint with the New York Jets. Finally, the Dolphins signed former Jaguars wide receiver Ernest Wilford to a four-year contract after he had a career season in which he caught 45 passes for 518 yards and three touchdowns. I would not expect Miami to be done yet either.

Now, it's BSchwartz's turn…

First off I want to thank DJ for having me as a guest spot in this blog. My goal here was to find a few teams that have been picked apart as well as a few that are sitting back and watching the first few days of free agency.

My first teams are the ones that have sat back and watched as their top talent takes off to bigger and better things.

New England Patriots
The team that led the way last year in the Free Agency period seems to be the biggest loser thus far in 2008. Asante Samuel's departure was a given, but still will leave a hole in the secondary. The good news for New England is that Asante was more or less a system DB, he made his name by sitting in the Pat's system and using Safeties to trap WR's. The bad news, Asante will fit in PERFECTLY in Philly using Dawkins to help him out and will prove to stay at the top of his game.

Then there is the Randy Moss saga. Everyone felt that Moss was happy in New England and would easily stay there. Well they forgot that Moss is also happy with loads of zeros on his pay checks. Remember this guy played for Oakland on purpose. Even if Moss returns it will cost New England as well as upsetting some guys that took pay cuts to stay. Add to all of that Stallworth's signing to Cleveland means that the great WR's that the Pats had a year ago may just be Wes Welker come next season.

Cincinnati Bengals
The Bengals thought that they landed Shaun Rogers. For a second it seemed like they may be making a move to improve their pitiful defense. But then the Browns swooped in and took Rogers, and while the Bengals were busy with that their top 2 defensive players headed out of town.

Justin Smith and Madieu Williams may have both gotten a little more than they were worth, but at the same time who does that leave on the Bengals D? They need to do something quick.

NY Giants
Last year the Giants lost Tiki and as a result won a Super Bowl, so I'm guessing they are going with that "Less is More" strategy again this year. Thus far the Giants have locked up their kicking crew, Jeff Feagles who is what 87 years old? And Lawrence Tynes who was a bad Brett Favre pass away from being known as the guy that kicked the knuckle ball that landed about 35 yards wide and 20 yards short of winning a game.

As far as players taking off? Although they have a Manning at QB this team achieved the greatest honor in the NFL because of their defense. That defense will have to be without Kawika Mitchell and Gibril Wilson next year. I also wouldn't hold my breath on Michael Strahan coming back for another year either.

So we are what 2 days into free agency? So when I was asked to name the teams that were sitting back and doing nothing, well I guess these guys will be there for now. Time will tell if these guys stay here.

Denver Broncos
My very own Denver Broncos HAVE to lead this list. While this team is criticized every year for overspending on risky free agents and not planning too much for the future they are now being criticized for the opposite.

Denver started out as the first team to reach a deal for Shaun Rogers and have ended up re-signing John Engelberger as their biggest name thus far. They also let the loud mouthed sorry knee having Javon Walker walk away (or should I say limp? If you can't tell I'm a bit bitter with how that worked out).

The silver lining for the blue and orange is that not only has John Lynch decided to come back but he will be back at a discounted price to allow the team to get some young talent. It would seem that this franchise has learned their lesson, but then again if there is another #84 on the Broncos by the end of the week with "MOSS" above that number don't be shocked.

Atlanta
The Falcons made the first news of free agency this year. They just couldn't wait to dump as many players as they could. Letting Rod Coleman, Byron Leftwich, and Alge Crumpler go as well as a few more.

So that would mean that Atlanta is going to come out guns blazing right? Well….. They re-signed Chris Redman, yeah they guy that was selling insurance during last year's free agency period.

My advice to Atlanta, don't cut the guys you have unless you know you can get someone, ANYONE to replace them.

Kansas City
The Chiefs put off losing star DE Jared Allen by one season with the dreaded Franchise Tag. And since then the only guy they have gotten to take an offer is punter Dustin Colquitt. WOO HOO! This brings me to a question a friend of mine posed a while back. If you know your team is going to be bad do you put more focus on getting a good punter?

Either way KC needs to focus on something, sure Larry Johnson should be a bit more productive than he was a year ago, but that isn't going to cut it. Your team was awful last year and you are doing nothing to change that.

While there may be a few other teams that could fit the "Sit back" group, some teams really have no need to go out and bid for guys. As for the fans of teams on either of these lists, remember last year people felt the Giants didn't make enough moves to get over the hump and that the Rams and 49ers made all the right moves. So take it for what it is.

If you read all of this, you deserve a gold star.

GOLD STAR!

Action-Reaction: February 17, 2008

Not much news going on right now. I do not have that much to say either.

Action: Roger Goodell is under fire because he said SpyGate was closed but now it is open, or something to that point.
Reaction: I hate to be a conspiracy theorist, but I'm calling it as I see it. I think that if the Patriots had beaten the Giants, this would not have been reopened. They could have been displayed as a team that fought adversity and accusations all season long and reached their ultimate goal. But now the Patriots can be displayed as the ones who "almost got away with it." They can take the Patriots down, all the way down, because they are not the undefeated golden children of the NFL.

Action: The circus, I mean Roger Clemens and Brian McNamee, was on Capitol Hill Wednesday.
Reaction: I watched about an hour of the "festivities" as I called them and, as they all say, someone is lying. I personally think it is Clemens. Clemens came off as just guilty. And arrogant. Almost Bonds-esque arrogance. While McNamee owned up to his mistakes and admitted to his credibility issues, Clemens skirted the questions he was asked when it was pointed out that he had credibility issues just like McNamee. What bothered me the most was just that Clemens looked guilty. Boy, did he look guilty. He only made eye contact occasionally when being questioned, often looking off to the side or looking down at papers in front of him. While McNamee was speaking he was jotting down something on papers he had in front of him as well. McNamee, however, kept his eyes on the questioner most of the time and was very calm and collected while he was talking. I do not know if McNamee had any of the same treatment, but Clemens speaking to his lawyers before answering some of the questions just sort of sealed it. My opinion. I've also talked to some diehard Yankees fans who think Clemens is guilty as well. Tough sledding ahead for the Rocket.

Action: Former Ram Willie Gary is suing the Patriots for taping the Rams' final walkthrough at Super Bowl XXXVI.
Reaction: Who is Willie Gary?

Really short edition today, but I must take this opportunity to promote next week's edition of Action-Reaction: The Farce of the 40.

You draftniks will never be the same.

Action-Reaction: February 3, 2008

I'm actually writing this on Saturday like I'm writing it on Sunday, but that's because I want to get up and post it before the Fox pregame starts at 9:00 AM ET. Really, who even watches it? I'm going to be homework. But now it's Sunday. And it's 8:51 AM. Probably won't beat Fox.

DAMN!

Action: The New England Patriots put their quest for an undefeated season on the line tonight against the New York Giants in Glendale, Arizona in Super Bowl XLII.
Reaction: The ________ will beat the _______ by a score of __-__.

Ha sorry. Didn't want to get too far ahead of myself. So here's a little meditation on each team.

The New England Patriots. Love them or hate them, they are still 18-0, looking to go 19-0 and complete the first undefeated season since the 1972 Miami Dolphins. They have boyishly good-looking Tom Brady and the highest scoring offense in NFL history. Fun for the defenses.

The New York Giants aren't supposed to be here. They were left for dead after Week 2. But they're here. They've won 11 straight road games (not that it matters, neutral site) and have plenty of momentum.

Let's take a closer look.

Quarterback
Tom Brady. Yes, the man has three rings (and Gisele Bundchen). Eventually, he'll probably have to sprout extra fingers, but you cannot deny how great his play has been of late. The addition of Randy Moss, Donte Stallworth, and Wes Welker has helped him even more, as he had been doing more with less for years. Brady's been here before, so he knows the drill.

On the other side of the ball is Eli Manning. Manning has been consistent this postseason, but he did throw an NFL-high 20 interceptions during the regular season. Many people are playing the waiting game, waiting to see if the Eli we all know and love (except Giants fans) shows up.

Edge: New England (duh).

Running Back
Laurence Maroney has come on strong of late and showed he can carry the load if the passing game is not producing desired results. Kevin Faulk is the most underrated member of the Patriots, but, hey, he has three rings. Faulk is definitely a player to watch. He can do it all. He can run, block, and pass, and, along with Welker, is Brady's safety valve on third downs. Heath Evans and Kyle Eckel provide bruising short-yardage ability.

Brandon Jacobs and Ahmad Bradshaw have made everyone forget Tiki Barber (except Tiki Barber) and the two combine for a great change of pace combination. Jacobs, weighing in at 264 pounds, is a wrecking ball, while Bradshaw is fearless and quick. Bradshaw has had some fumbling issues this season which should be something to watch. Jim Finn is a solid fullback.

Edge: Even. We'll only know after the game.

Wide Receivers
Ah yes, the Patriots' wide receiving corps, the most daunting in the league. Randy Moss has not shown up at all this preseason, but has still managed to impact games on the ground, showing the Belichick will get him involved as much as possible. Moss can stretch the defense like he did on his record-breaking touchdown catch in December, or go across the middle. The Giants will use Gibril Wilson to try and get some hits on him early and intimidate him across the middle. Donte' Stallworth has not produced as much as people expected this season, but his value is still there. He provides a decoy to stretch the field for Moss, Welker, or Gaffney to get underneath. Speaking of Wes Welker, no one expected him to do this at all this year. I thought he was the most overrated acquisition in the history of the NFL, but he has proved myself and everyone else wrong. Welker is essentially another running back on the field, but one's been able to stop him. Teams seem more willing to left him hurt them underneath than to let Moss or Stallworth hurt them deep. Finally, Jabar Gaffney. This is the one member of the Patriots organization I hate the most. Was he even supposed to be on the team this year? I don't think so. But he's still there, making crucial plays. It's one of those things that's like, "They have Moss, Stallworth, and Welker. Why are they going to Gaffney?"

If the Patriots do anything in this game, it should be to double cover Plaxico Burress. This is the one thing the Packers did not do that really miffed me. They don't need to double him the entire game, but every once in a while, throw another safety over the top on him. Burress absolutely did not many things to Al Harris that cannot be mentioned on this blog, but getting some extra hits on him with a safety should do some good. Amani Toomer is still quick (witness his touchdown catch against Dallas), but the man is playing on a reconstructed knee and the Patriots corners are faster. Belichick should be able to spare some single coverage on Toomer to cover Plexi-glass. Steve Smith provides a viable third option, but he is inexperienced which could cause some problems.

Edge: New England.

Tight Ends
The Patriots tight ends are solid. Ben Watson is a viable red-zone target (3 catches, 2 touchdowns in the playoffs) and he has the right combination of size and speed to create mismatches within the linebackers. Kyle Brady is primarily a blocking tight end who is used most of the time in motion.

Kevin Boss has been a pleasant surprise in place of Jeremy Shockey. Heck, The Baltimore Sun says that Boss is a more complete player than Shockey. Who knew? After Boss however, the depth isn't there like it is in New England. Boss will garner some looks from Manning, but he will have a hard time shaking the Patriots linebacking corps.

Edge: New England.

Offensive Line
The New England offensive line has been flawless this year. Matt Light will have his hands full with Osi Umenyiora, but when these two teams met in December, the Patriots O-line was not at full strength. The line will switch around its blocking schemes, sometimes doubling Umenyiora, sometimes doubling Strahan.

The Giants offensive line is a little banged up. Rich Seubert is probable, and I think the durability of this line is in question. Other than that, The Sun says that the Giant's O-line is "nothing special."

Edge: New England

Offensive Edge: New England.

Defensive Line
New England has a front line of Richard Seymour, Ty Warren, and Sir Fine-a-Lot himself, Vince Wilfork. Seymour and Warren get good pressure from the end spots while Wilfork can push through almost everything up the middle. Combined with the fact that the Patriots use many different looks with their linebackers on the line to confuse the offensive line, Manning could be in for a long day. Seymour and Warren have good speed for defensive ends as well as monstrous strength.

The crux of the Giants defensive line is their defensive ends. Tackles Fred Robbins and Barry Cofield can hold their own stuffing the run, but if the Giants want to have a chance in this game, they need to put constant pressure on Brady the whole game. Michael Strahan and Osi Umenyiora got pressure on Brady in the December meeting, but neither of them could get to him and sack him. The X-factor becomes Justin Tuck who will have to be rotated in to keep Strahan and Osi fresh the entire game. Strahan really wants this ring, and I think this will be a defining moment for Osi. Osi had 13 sacks during the season, but six came in one game and only seven came in games against first string offensive tackles. Something to think about.

Edge: Even.

Linebackers
New England is old, no question about it. Based on name recognition, Junior Seau, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Adalius Thomas, and the other dude I'm forgetting would be the best corps in the league. However, they are not Methuselah and have accepted age. They're still good, don't get me wrong, but the first time Brandon Jacobs takes aim at one of these linebackers, how they react will be imperative to the outcome of the game.

New York's crew might actually be better. Antonio Pierce anchors the middle with Kawika Mitchell and Reggie Torbor on either side. If I recall correctly, Torbor got some great hits on Brady in December, but with Belichick's mind, I don't see that happening again. The linebacking corps will have to change up their looks, adjusting the fact that they will have to cover Wes Welker occasionally. They are definitely more athletic than the Patriots group, but they don't have the experience.

Edge: New England, but only because of experience.

Defensive Backs
First off, Plaxico Burress and Randy Moss have a height advantage on all of these corners.

Asante Samuel and Ellis Hobbs will be on Toomer and Burress the whole game. James Sanders will most likely be used to shade and give help to whichever needs it the most while Rodney Harrison will be a fifth linebacker in the box, taking aim at Jacobs.

The Giants cornerbacks are very inexperienced. Corey Webster and Aaron Ross have both been in the league less than four years. The Giants aren't putting Jason Seahorn out there either (hey, he got burned by Brandon Stokley seven years ago, maybe he wasn't that good anyway). Sam Madison is another solid corner, but he has been injured this year and has gotten burned occasionally. R.W. McQuarters will come in on some nickel and dime situations. James Butler will probably in the box like Harrison, while Gibril Wilson will have the daunting task of playing centerfield against this passing attack.

Edge: I'll say Even again.

Kickers
Stephen Gostkowski is 1-2 in the postseason but has made nine of his last ten. He isn't Vinatieri, but he has a good leg and the game may be under the retractable roof.

NFC Championship Game hero Lawrence Tynes will have scrutiny thrust upon him again this week. If he misses, he probably won't have a chance to redeem himself. Bill Belichick does not like to give second chances.

Edge: Even.

Punters
Chris Hanson has been solid this year, but the Patriots have not really had to punt that much either.

The roof might be closed due to chances of showers, so Jeff Feagles, one of the best directional punters, should have a great day.

Edge: New York.

Returners
Ellis Hobbs holds the NFL record for longest kick return, a 108-yarder in Week 1, while Wes Welker is dangerous in the open field. Both are fast (no dip, why did I write that?).

Domenik Hixon is hoping for déjà vu again against New England. Hixon broke off a kick return for a touchdown in Week 17. R.W. McQuarters handles the punt return duties, but he fumbled last week, so watch for New England to go for the strip.

Edge: Even.

Coaching
Bill Belichick is the master motivator. He has drilled the us-against-the world philosophy into the heads of his players. The news that the Patriots taped the St. Louis Rams final walk through before Super Bowl XXXVI will not distract them. It only provides more ammunition for Belichick to use. He knows that there are a lot of people out there who don't want the Patriots to win. He wants to win and he knows that he can win.

Tom Coughlin was a dead man after Week 2. The Giants were 0-2, had been blown out 35-13 at home by the Packers, and had lost 9 of their last 11. He quickly righted a sinking ship and has taken them all the way. Hopefully, he has defrosted by now.

Edge: New England.

Now for the moment of truth. Kimmie Meissner is picking New England, and I will have to agree with my hometown hero (my sister went to middle school with her).

The New England Patriots will win Super Bowl XLII, their fourth title in seven years, over the New York Giants by a score of 34-24. Tom Brady will throw three touchdown passes to Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Jabar Gaffney while Laurence Maroney adds another on the ground. Stephen Gostkowski will add two field goals. Eli Manning will throw two touchdowns, one apiece to Plaxico Burress and Kevin Boss, while Ahmad Bradshaw breaks the plain once. In addition, Lawrence Tynes will go 1-2 on field goals.

Tom Brady wins Super Bowl MVP for the third time as he completes 24 of 32 passes for 312 yards and two touchdowns.

Kapish?

Action-Reaction: January 20, 2008

Ah, so Axn-Rxn is back after a one week hiatus. Stupid exams. Anyway, it's 10:47 AM ET and I'm sitting in my room (complete disaster area) thinking about a lot of stuff. I cannot get The Mars Volta show out of my head (I'll try to post a review soon). I'm trying to get my plans together for today (Lots of football involved). I'm trying to figure out what I got on my exams (84 on AP Euro is all I know). I'm listening to In Defense of the Genre by Say Anything (totally sucky album, …Is a Real Boy absolutely pwns it). I'm gonna listen to something else now (Hold up). Minus The Bear will work for now. I'm also dreading having to finish taking the Christmas tree down today before my friend comes over to watch the New England-San Diego game, and then I'm skipping a track party to go over to my friend's house (his dad is the biggest Packer fan I have ever met) to watch the Green Bay-New York game. And on top of this, there really is not any news out there. So I'll make a compromise with you guys. I'll just put the one newsworthy bit I have, then talk a bit about the two games today and the significance of the weekend. So deal.

Action: Unranked Maryland Terrapins upset #1 North Carolina IN Chapel Hill.
Reaction: I don't know if they burned any cars in College Park or not. Anyway, I am not a Terps fan at all. My parents initially told me that I was not allowed to go there for college (stupid party schools), but of course, they have pulled a John Kerry (flip-flop) and said I could go there because it has one of the top journalism programs in the mid-Atlantic. Forget that, I am getting out the Baltimore Metropolitan Area. ANYWAY, I watched the last 1:22 of this game and it was quite exciting. Now, I said I wasn't a Terps fan, but that does not mean I won't root for them, especially when they are playing North Carolina or Duke (GOAT, the basketball gods are going to strike you down for liking both). I'm like all people that grew up in Maryland. I have that tiny connection to UMD, because it represents my state (which I hate), right? So when I turned it on and Maryland was down 78-76 with 1:22 left, I was praying for a victory. Bambale Osby looks like a kid at my school. Anyway (again), I have no clue why Hansbrough took that three at the end. I know he had a great look, but couldn't they have at least gotten it to Ellington? He's probably a better shooter with a bad look than Hansbrough is with a good look. Well, we'll never know.

I was talking to my friend last night afterwards, and he said that was Maryland's defining win for the year and that win could put them into the tournament. We'll have to wait and see. In my opinion, the Maryland program has been on the downhill after their National Championship. Williams is a great coach and all, but the recruiting is not there. The only good recruit I know they're getting next year is Sean Mosely of St. Frances Academy in Baltimore. I don't know his rank or anything (GOAT, want to give me some help?), but I saw him play against my school and he was great. He's got great size and a great shot for a guard. He was being guarded by our forwards and just owned up on them. He did dog it occasionally, but once the ball came to him, he lit it up. He could be up for a bit of a wakeup call in college, but he still looked great.

Anyway, that's the only viable news tidbit for the day, so I decided I'd do just a bit of writing about this weekend.

The following section will be re-posted in PackerNation, so by the way, so I ain't plagiarizing.

The air is electric today. I don't think I have been this pumped up for a game in a long, long time. Why? Well, in case you live under a rock, my Packers are in the NFC Championship Game. I'm not going to go too in-depth into the game because of superstition, but yeah, I'll just talk. I have been waiting a long time for this. I was merely four years old when the Packers won Super Bowl XXXI. My family was living in a one-floor rancher, a half-hour from everywhere in Southern Maryland. My grandparents were visiting from Oregon, and we were having a great family time watching the Super Bowl. Now, I had developed a love-affair with the Packers earlier that year. I was an impressionable young child. Something about watching that Favor dude in the #4 jersey just captivated me. There was something about those green jerseys and yellow helmets and the cheeseheads and the frozen tundra and the name Lambeau just had me. I remember making fun of my aunt two weeks before the Super Bowl after the Packers had just finished off the Carolina Panthers in the NFC Championship Game because she had a Kerry Collins, Carolina Panthers travel bag. I mocked her endlessly, but she put up with me. I was just that kind of child. So the game rolled around and I was the only one in the household rooting for the Packers. I barely remember anything about the game except for Desmond Howard sprinting past Adam Viniateri into the endzone. That play still gets me to this day. The image that stays with me to this day is Favre running around on the field, helmet held high, after throwing the touchdown pass to Andre Rison in the first quarter. The Packers went on to win, and I was a Packers fan for life.

Now, the summer of 1997 was a summer of change for me. My family moved from Southern Maryland up to a little town (now a huge-a** area ripe with urban sprawl) because my dad had taken a job at a little Catholic high school. My sister went through there and now I am currently going through there. In the fall of 1997, I started kindergarten and became more aware of my surroundings. I started clipping box scores out of newspapers (WTF?) and saving them. I cut anything out of the paper that remotely had to do with the Pack Attack. I watched all their games. My mood was devastated if they lost. My life started to depend on them. I got my first Brett Favre jersey from my godfather (sadly, we gave it away later, not realizing the significance of it), and I just started to watch the Packers. Then Super Bowl XXXII came. I had watched the Packers defeat Steve Young and the 49ers the week before in that mud bowl. My sister, three years older than me, much to my horror, was becoming a Broncos fan. We fought many times over this. Anyway, I sat through Super Bowl XXXII. The game just didn't feel right to me. The Packers weren't in their reliable home jerseys (I used to abhor the white road jerseys, but they have grown on me as I now possess one) and the Broncos just looked too good. The game ended. I sat down in our dining room (I was watching it on a little ten-inch TV) and cried. It was painful. I felt like my world was ending.

The 1998 Packers season was another I would like to forget. I myself take full responsibility for their loss in the Wild-Card game to San Francisco, because my benevolent godfather had given me a Steve Young jersey for Christmas (it still remains one of my most prized possessions, because, hey, it's Steve Young). I cried again when Terrell Owens caught that pass in front of Darren Sharper after the blow fumble call on Jerry Rice. I still haven't forgiven you Mr. Rice. As for you Mr. Owens, well, ha, that's another blog for another time. I almost lost one of my good friends, Craig, because of that game. Craig was the first Packer fan I met at my new school and his dad is the biggest Packer fan I know. I'm going to their house tonight to watch the game. Whenever I went over to Craig's house to chill, his dad would pull out some Packers DVD or VHS and we'd just sit and watch it. Sadly, Craig has become a Titans fan. That's another story.

Anyway, 1999-2004 are dark years for me. My interest and obsession with the Packers waned, and I became, gulp, a Ravens fan. Got that out of my system thankfully. I still had my Packers moments. In fourth and fifth grade, when I won back-to-back Geography Bee titles, I was wearing my new Brett Favre jersey. Remarkably, I have had the same Brett Favre road jersey since fourth or fifth grade. It still fits thankfully. In sixth grade, again at a new school, I immediately solidified myself as the number one Packer fan. The summer before and the summer before that (I get years mixed up too much), I had gone to Green Bay and the Packers training camp. Great experiences for me. Anyway, people knew I was a Packers fan, and I liked that they knew. In seventh grade, the Packers started off 0-4, and sadly, I gave up on them. They rallied back to finish 8-8 or 9-7 or something like that. I forget whether or not that was the year that Irv Favre died (might have been my sixth grade year), but I still have a tape of the Raiders game. This summer they showed it on NFL Network when I was out at my grandparents (converted fans now) and I made my cousins sit down and watch it and explained the significance to them.

Now, 2005 is the worst year in recent memory for Packers fans. The 4-12 season. The injuries. Javon Walker, my new second favorite player getting hurt and demanding a trade. Black Monday in Baltimore. I was there, but that's ANOTHER blog for another time. The sad part was I was a diehard that year. That hurt so bad. (It's now 11:47 AM ET. I'm writing a lot.) But I didn't lost faith. I applauded the McCarthy hire and the A.J. Hawk and Greg Jennings selections in the draft. But in 2006, because of the new workload of high school mostly, I was indifferent to their 8-8 season. But then I discovered a little thing called FanNation, and that rekindled my fire. This year has been one of the best ever for me. This is the closest I have followed the Packers EVER and it has paid off. People don't get why I'm skipping a party tonight. They don't get that I am now mentally insane, thanks to #4 of the Green Bay Packers. So now I sit in my yellow room, staring at my Packers pennant, my Lambeau Field panoramic, my Packers sheets (crap, gotta make my bed), my Super Bowl XXXI poster, and my Brett Favre poster.

And I think to myself, "What a wonderful world."

*Brief interruption while I help my mom take the Christmas tree down*

*And we're back*

So I've basically lost my train of thought. It's now 1:04 PM EST. The Packers game starts in five hours and thirty-eight minutes while the Patriots-Chargers game starts in two-and-a-half hours. Minus The Bear is still sustaining me, so I guess that's good. Anyway, I would like to talk a little bit about the significance of this weekend. Monday is Martin Luther King, Jr. Day (THREE DAY WEEKEND!). But I just have a little bone to pick about this. I really hate when people call it MLK Day. Say the man's name for God's sake. Show him the respect he deserves. So while all you are out enjoying your day off, show some respect to the man. Use his full name. Don't take a shortcut in a society full of shortcuts.

Ah yes, one last nugget of news:

Action: John Harbaugh has been hired as coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
Reaction: Good luck. You're going to need it.

Action-Reaction: January 6, 2008

Well it's the first Action-Reaction segment of 2008, so I hope you all enjoy. Sorry I skipped out last week. Just wasn't that much news going on. However, this week is different:

Action: Brian Billick was fired as coach of the Baltimore Ravens.
Reaction: All I have to say (and I've said it many times) is "It took them long enough." I have never seen anyone ride the Super Bowl gravy train for so long. How can an "offensive genius" get by for so long on his defense? All I heard during Billick's term was about how much of an offensive genius he was. Where was the offense? Nowhere. I have to think that Billick benefits more from the people around him than the people benefit from Billick. The Ravens haven't won in the playoffs since 2001, yet people talk about how much of a winner he is. Sure, they were 13-3 last year, but they didn't win in the playoffs. Isn't that where it counts? Sorry for the rant-yness. Even when I was a Ravens fan, I never liked Billick. Just comes off arrogant to me. Not my type of person.

Action: Cam Cameron was fired as coach of the Miami Dolphins.
Reaction: One way to look at this is the fact that he went 1-15 this year. The other way to look at this is to look at the fact that the team was horrible. The offense was bad, the defense was bad, and the special teams were bad. I don't think anyone could have done much with the personnel he had down there. Not to mention the fact we all knew he was doomed as soon as Bill Parcells took over. It'll be interesting to see how Parcells does after taking over.

Action: The Seattle Seahawks defeated the Washington Redskins 35-14 in the Wild-Card round of the NFL Playoffs yesterday.
Reaction: Well first of all, my heart goes out to the Redskins and all they've gone through this year. Everyone said they were the team you didn't want to face in the playoffs, and for a while it looked as if that was true after they took a 14-13 lead in the fourth cover and recovered the botched kickoff. However, the missed field goal by Shaun Suisham really turned the momentum in Seattle's favor as they returned Todd Collins' first two interceptions of the season back for touchdowns, blowing the game wide open. The Seahawks travel to Green Bay for the divisional playoffs next weekend.

Action: The Jacksonville Jaguars defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers 31-29 last night.
Reaction: The Steelers blew it. Weren't they 9-2 at one point? I know the loss of Parker hurt down the stretch, but the defense looked bad, getting beat twice, at home, in bad weather, in conditions they are supposed to thrive in by a team from Florida. That's just pathetic. Props to the Jags.

Action: The Tennessee Titans travel to San Diego to play the Chargers in the Wild-Card round. This is a rematch of a Week 14 showdown where San Diego came back from a 17-3 deficit to win the game in overtime. Vince Young is a game-time decision.
Reaction: If Young's legs are rendered useless it will be interesting to see how the Titans fair on his arm or the arm of Kerry Collins. Probably not that good as they are missing their top two wide receivers and their top tight end. The defense has been playing well as of late, but the key to the defense, Albert Haynesworth has been nagged by injuries recently. All in all, things are not looking up for the Titans. Maybe they should have thrown the Indy game after Young went down to let Cleveland in. Then on the other hand, we've got all the drama queens in San Diego, and I won't even get into them.

Action: The New York Giants travel to Tampa Bay to take on the Buccaneers.
Reaction: With the Redskins out, the Giants are now the team you do not want to face in the playoffs. I can't think of that much to write about this game, other than it will be a good one.

Action: Bill Belichick wins Coach of the Year.
Reaction: I agree, this is a great choice, while Packers coach Mike McCarthy is a close second. No one expected McCarthy and the Packers to do what they did, but no one thought a team could go undefeated either. Belichick wins, SpyGate aside, because, he won. Period.

Action: Tom Brady wins NFL MVP Award.
Reaction: Brady ran away with the award, earning 49 of the 50 votes. He deserves it. Fifty (50) touchdown passes really does that for you. And he performed rather consistently throughout the whole season while leading his team through the controversy of SpyGate. Second-place, in my world, would be a tie between Brett Favre and Tony Romo (even though I can't stand him). We have seen three great performances from great quarterbacks this year.

Action: JP Losman has demanded a trade out of Buffalo.
Reaction: Well if I were him I'd stick around. They didn't stick with him. What makes you think they'll stick with Trent Edwards?

Action: Hawaii coach June Jones as flown to Texas to meet with SMU.
Reaction: Hahahahahaha. If Jones takes that job, no matter how much money he gets, he's no longer an offensive genius. He's an idiot. June, do yourself a favor: stay at Hawaii where you can win consistently. Don't throw it away at a has-been powerhouse. Thanks.

I appreciate your readership deeply.

Action-Reaction: December 23, 2007

Happy holidays all! Hope you enjoy this week's edition of Action-Reaction. For a little twist, I'll post what song I'm listening to while I write each little thing. Yes, innovative, I know.

Action: Reds trade Hamilton to Rangers for two prospects
Reaction: Josh Hamilton was one of the best stories of 2007 so this move has raised some eyebrows. In 2007, Hamilton batted .292 with 19 home runs and 47 RBIs. The Reds received two top pitching prospects from the Rangers. Moving Hamilton leaves Cincinnati with a hole in centerfield that will either be filled by Ryan Freel or a minor leaguer. Cincinnati filled in the back half of their pitching rotation in acquiring Edinson Volquez and Danny Herrera. I think this move definitely helps Cincinnati as pitching is what the Rangers need more than hitting. I would still expect a big year from Hamilton in the hitter-friendly Ameriquest Field.
Song: Smashing Pumpkins – "Bullet With Butterfly Wings"

Action: Barry Bonds voted Story of the Year by the Associated Press
Reaction: Barry is still getting all the attention he wants. He beat out Michael Vick, Tim Donaghy, the Florida Gators, and SpyGate and received 100 out of 146 first place votes. Ah, yes, feed the monster what it wants: attention.
Song: Thurston Moore – "Hang Out"

Action: TO catches 15^th touchdown pass
Reaction: Does Andy Reid still have to break out the spandex?
Song: We Are Scientists – "Callbacks"

Action: Schottenheimer in no hurry to make NFL return
Reaction: I don't blame him. After what he went through in San Diego, I'd give him all the time in the world.
Song: Silversun Pickups – "Lazy Eye"

Action: Ledger reveals Marion Jones' doping regiment
Reaction: I found this very interesting, as the saga continues. This totally verifies any doubt that Jones was using during her great Olympic performance. As a runner myself, I felt very letdown by her admission as watching her performance at Sydney 2000 was very inspirational.
Song: Sugarcult – "Riot"

Action: FSU will be short 36 players for Music City Bowl
Reaction: That really has to hurt. If you're betting on Florida St. in this one, I might be inclined to switch wagers over to Kentucky. I say 300+ yards and 3 TDs for Andre Woodson.
Song: Pixies – "Debaser"

Action: Marbury files grievance
Reaction: More in the Knicks saga…
Song: Shellac – "Prayer to God"

Action: Peppers inactive vs. Cowboys
Reaction: This is the first game Peppers has missed since 2002. I really have to hand it to this guy. He is a warrior. His production has fallen off recently, but he is still one the best athletes in the game. He is probably the fastest defensive end I have seen. This was a big impact for the Panthers defense.
Song: "A New England" – Billy Brag

Action: Jets place Coles on IR
Reaction: This seems to cap off the Jets season appropriately. There so many great expectations surrounding this team and they flopped. I was expecting a lot out of Coles for my fantasy team, but the lack of consistency at the quarterback position coupled with nagging injuries held Coles to 55 catches for 646 yards and six touchdowns.
Song: Sonic Youth – "(I Got A) Catholic Block)

Action: Tommy Byrne dies at 87
Reaction: Just take a moment out of your holiday shopping and say a quick prayer for the Byrne family.

Thanks for reading!

Happy Festivus to all, and to all a good night!

Action-Reaction Lite: December 16, 2007

So I don't have that much time this week for Action-Reaction due to a research paper on the relationship between team payroll and team performance due tomorrow and I still have a substantial amount of work left on it. So I'm bringing everyone Action-Reaction Lite.

Action: The winless Dolphins go for their first win today against the Ravens in Miami.
Reaction: This game seems dead even. Both teams have been playing horribly this year, which gives both a chance to win. I would definitely love to see los Dolfines pull out the victory, but it will be really hard for them. I predict that Willis McGahee will have a big day and that Kyle Boller snaps a seven-game road losing streak in Miami.

Action: The New England Patriots host (I think) the New York Jets today in a rematch of the infamous Week 1 game that led to SpyGate.
Reaction: And to think, I picked the Jets to win that Week 1 game 16-13. This game is going to give new meaning to the phrase "playing until the whistle blows." This is going to be ugly. Jets fans, prepare to see some carnage. I'm going to say the Patriots will break 60 or at least 50 today.

Action: Andy Pettitte admits using hGH to help recover from an injury in 2002. Pettitte says the hGH did not help him.
Reaction: This is where it is going to get tough. We are going to have a bunch of players using this explanation. How is baseball going to determine who is lying and who is not? Even more questions…

Action: Padres trade prospects for Jim Edmonds.
Reaction: Hopefully Edmonds has a clean bill of health and can really produce for the Padres. That's speaking as a Padres fan…

Action: 49ers third-stringer Shaun Hill led the Niners to a 20-13 victory over the Bengals.
Reaction: Glad to see a Maryland alum doing well. Has San Francisco found their quarterback?

So yeah, this is pretty lackluster. Deal with it.

Action-Reaction: 12/9/07

Ah, some good ol Action-Reaction for your Sunday. This week's edition of Action-Reaction is a Baltimore edition, as I am getting all of the stories out of The Baltimore Sun, so I'm sorry for no hyperlinks.

Action: Ravens tackle Jonathon Ogden is leaning towards and will "most likely" retire at the end of the season.
Reaction: It's a shame, since I had warmer feelings towards Ogden than most other Ravens players, but he's a good guy and great player, so it's hard to argue with that. Ogden has been slowed by a toe injury all year, so it appears that age is catching up to him. The Ravens have also lost all seven games Ogden has played in this year.

Action: Tim Tebow wins Heisman Trophy.
Reaction: Meh. I'm not the biggest Tebow fan, but he has been truly great this year, and is not a product of a system (Colt Brennan and June Jones, I'm looking at you). Tebow became the first sophomore to win the award while Darren McFadden finished second (again). This year was probably the hardest one to pick a winner from. All four of them deserved it in some capacity, and all four of them didn't deserve it some way. Still, Tebow was the best choice. If McFadden didn't stumble at the beginning of the season, he would have run away with it. Congrats, Tebow.

Action: Delaware will face Appalachian State in the Division I-AA, I mean FCS Championship Game Friday.
Reaction: Who you got? I think I'll take Appalachian State in this one. I know nothing about FCS teams, but the Mountaineers seem like the safe choice. A-State beat Michigan this year while Delaware beat Navy. I think Appalachian State will take this one, 41-34. Your thoughts?

Action: Marvin Harrison will miss tonight's game against the Ravens.
Reaction: It's a shame that Harrison has been banged up this year. I hope this isn't the beginning of the end for him and that age has not caught up with him.

Action: Reggie Bush will miss Monday night's game at Atlanta due to a partially torn knee ligament.
Reaction: The Saints season just keeps getting worse. The sexy pick for the NFC's representative in the Super Bowl had to recover from a slow start and losing Deuce McAllister for the season. If I were the Saints, as long as I had Bush I would have another good, "real" running back on the roster.

Action: The Denver Broncos have rewarded wide receiver Brandon Stokley with a three-year contract extension.
Reaction: Ok, so he's done something in Denver. He's still not the damn good wide receiver you say he is, CURTIS4BRONCOS. What.

Action: Navy promotes Ken Niumatalolo to head coach.
Reaction: Losing Paul Johnson to Georgia Tech really hurts Navy, but I think Niumatalolo can step in and keep it up. As long as Navy keeps running that triple option, there will be teams that cannot stop them. The only question I have is whether or not Johnson is taking to option to Tech. Anyone know that answer?

Action: Donovan McNabb will start today when the Eagles play host to the Giants.
Reaction: He better not get sacked 12 times again. If he does, well, that's just bad. The Eagles can still take second-place in the division if they win out while the Giants lose their last four. There's still hope!

Action: Rick Pitino still stuck on 499 wins after Louisville loses to Dayton.
Reaction: Well that just sucks for you, Rick Pitino.

So thus ends the December 9, 2007 edition of Action-Reaction. Thanks for reading.

Action-Reaction: December 2, 2007

This will be my SIFS blog, along with the idea BSchwartz and I are hammering out, but I got this idea from my local newspaper. I'll present a news item (the "Action") and then put my take (the "Reaction") after it. The "Reaction" could be humorous, serious, or I could not have a take on it at all. Enjoy.

Action: Wannstedt gets 3-year extension
Reaction: This seems a little contradictory of Pitt. Wannstedt has had three losing seasons after five straight winning seasons by Pitt. I think this contract is mostly based on the fact that Pitt just upset No. 2 West Virginia 13-9 last night. As with all things, time will tell.

Action: Miles staying at LSU
Reaction: I think it's great to see someone with loyalty to his school, but I am still a little suspicious, as Miles has not yet signed it. If he really wanted to send a message to his players, he would have signed it right then and there.

Action: Beckham carries Galaxy to win
Reaction: At least he did something in the U.S. Oh wait, it was an exhibition. The last exhibition game, no less. Beckham flopped. That's all I have to say. Maybe he'll come back stronger next year. At least he better or there will be some angry soccer fans at his door. Wait, who in the U.S. cares about soccer? Oh wait, Keeper will be at Beckham's door if he flops.

Action: U.S. clinches first Davis Cup since '95
Reaction: This is farther out of America's conscious than David Beckham and soccer…

Action: LSU regent: Pelini going to Nebraska
Reaction: That's a good move for Nebraska. Pelini could bring back the vaunted the Blackshirts D. I don't how this could affect LSU though. They have had the rep for being a great defensive program for a while, but I think their talent could overcome the problem of losing their coordinator.

Action: Twins, Yanks haggle over Santana
Reaction: I personally do not want to see Santana on either the Red Sox or the Yankees, but anyway, this has turned into a drama in itself. I honestly do not know what I would do if I was in either team's shoes. I mean, you really want Santana. Putting him on either staff puts that team over the top, but losing all that talent must be excruciating. It really sucks to be Coco Crisp. I hope the Sox can keep Ellsbury. I really like watching him play.

Action: Chaos Reigns
Reaction: All I really have to say is WHOA. This is beyond chaos. It is quite obvious that Ohio State is in the National Championship again, but after that I have no clue. I really wanted to see Missouri have a chance, but they just could not get it done last night. All I have to say is that someone is not going home happy after the selection show tonight.

So there, I hope you enjoyed the first edition of Action-Reaction. It'll get spiced up a bit in future editions I'd have to think.