7 Things We Missed This Weekend
Usually this realm is my brother Matt's forte (haha, Matt's forte, get it? Come on Cutler!), but why not give it a shot? With all that is normally lost in a football weekend, we catch you up to date with what you might have missed in the world of sports. From the other football, to baseball and all the way to Australia we've got it all covered!
(1) Carmelo's Still in Denver...But for How Long?
-Rumors surfaced that Carmelo was destined for the Nets in a whopping 4-team trade that would send prized rookie Derrick Favors back to Denver along with expiring contracts and picks. But, either Denver or 'Melo seem to be getting cold feet because talks have stalled over the weekend. The Knicks and MSG or Chicago are 'Melo's preferred destination, but will he wind up settling for the Brooklyn Nets and a 3-year extension? Unless the Bulls wise up and dump Joakim Noah, the answer might have to be yes. One thing's clear, in the post-Decision world, there's no turning back now for Denver or 'Melo.
(2) Jim Furyk Wins the Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup, We Think
-Jim Furyk managed to win a rain-soaked Tour Championship and the FedEx Cup $10 million bonus yesterday. Here's my question though, how can a player who missed the 1st playoff tournament, which Furyk did when he missed the Pro-Am at the Barclay's, still win the playoffs? Doesn't that show this entire "playoff system" is a joke and a total crap shoot? The PGA Tour needs to figure out soon because running through mathematical scenarios like a graduate school course on the final Sunday isn't going to attract casual golf fans. Really, a 10 million dollar sand save?
(3) Jimmie Johnson Wins, Again
-All must be right in the world because Jimmie Johnson won the 2nd Chase race in Dover to move to 2nd in the standings behind Denny Hamlin. NASCAR desperately needs a rival to emerge for the dominant Johnson, and Hamlin seems like he could be that foil. He's fearless on the track and is just brash enough to be interesting, like calling out Clint Bowyer for trying to explain away his costly penalty. And, don't forget Hamlin had ACL surgery during the season and still is in 1st. At least there are still 8 weeks of the playoffs to go!
(4) The MLS "Game of the Century"
-Many in the American soccer community tried to make the game on Saturday night between Los Angeles and New York out to be the most important regular season game in the history of the league. Of course, showing the game at 11pm EDT on a Friday night isn't the best way to get the league into the national sports spotlight. Also not helping matters was the absence of any contribution by the league's biggest stars, Donovan, Henry, and Beckham...that is, unless you count this YouTube video a "contribution".
(5) Is It October Yet?
-Apparently baseball's regular season is STILL going on with no end in sight. The Rangers managed to clinch the AL West while the Reds and Phillies are a game away themselves. The Rockies now lag behind the pace and it looks like its down to San Diego, the Giants, and the Braves for the final 2 playoff spots in the NL. Of course, in the AL the Rays and Yankees are battling for the AL East with all the intensity of a July day game. Is expanding the playoffs really the answer to the late season malaise? Maybe so, if it means shortening the regular season!
(6) Chelsea Finally Goes Down
-Over in England, Chelsea saw their 100% record go down at the hands of Manchester City 1-0 while Man United struggled in a draw at Bolton and Arsenal suffered a shock defeat to West Brom. Meanwhile, Liverpool continued their wretched start to the season by drawing against Sunderland. It's been an interesting beginning to the season, and we should learn more as some of the big teams begin to play each other. Could this be the year the vaunted Top 4 is finally broken and a new team wins the English Premier League? If Man City can find momentum (and a consistent starting lineup) they're the best bet with new captain Carlos Tevez scoring the winner against Chelsea.
(7) Imagine a Tie in the Super Bowl... Because it Just Happened in Australia
-The biggest single sports day in Australia was this past weekend with the Australian Rules Football Grand Final. It's really like Super Bowl Day in Australia and two great teams were set to do battle in St. Kilda (one championship in 100+ years) and Collingwood (the most popular team in Australia with a history of chokejobs in the Final). Well, the game was a nailbiter with Collingwood storming out of the gates, but St. Kilda mounting a strong comeback. The game actually ended up a tie, 68-68 at the end of regulation. So, you'd think an exciting sudden death overtime period was sure to follow, right? No. Instead the entire game is being REPLAYED this weekend! Imagine that. The Cowboys and Steelers tie the Super Bowl, then have to play the game again the following week! What a nightmare! Players afterwards were even calling the replay a joke, but it does set up one of the most intriguing things I can remember seeing in sports. Be thankful this week that you live in the good old USA, where our championships are at least decided in one day, but make sure you watch the replay Friday night at Midnight on ESPN Classic and 1 AM on ESPN2. Check out the amazing action of the final minutes and the players' reaction when the final siren sounds.
