Sunday, December 12, 2010

Missed One Thing

One story I missed that I want to make sure you're aware of. In the third quarter of the game this afternoon between the Miami Dolphins and New York Jets, Miami special teams player Nolan Carroll was intentionally tripped by a staff member on the Jets' sideline. Using the NFL.com recap through the previous link, find the video "Dolphin gets tripped on Jets sideline." On a punt, Carroll used the sideline in an attempt to pass by the Jets two cover players. A member of the Jets staff, somebody not in uniform, intentionally put a knee forward as Carroll passed by, sending him to the ground. The alleged staff member, Sal Alosi, has since apologized, but this action is very uncalled for. Carroll was injured on the trip, caused by the knee-to-knee contact with Alosi. "The team is reviewing the situation and is looking into  the appropriate next steps," Jets senior director of media relations Bruce Speight said in a statement after the game.

In my opinion, this guy should be immediately fired. It was inexplicable and uncalled for. It is a huge injury risk. Carroll stayed down for a few moments and was helped from the field. At this point, it appears he will be okay, but the knee-to-knee contact caused by Alosi could have been a recipe for a knee injury disaster. It will be very interesting to see how this story plays out, and to hear ESPN shows such as Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption debate it as the week goes on.

Any thoughts on the issue?

NFL Sunday Notes

A few thoughts from Sunday's NFL games...

-HUGE injury news out of Green Bay. Packers' quarterback Aaron Rodgers went down in the second quarter on Sunday, suffering a concussion against the Detroit Lions. To make matters worse for the Packers, backup quarterback Matt Flynn could not find the end zone, and Detroit beat Green Bay 7-3. Yes,  just simply 7-3. The Lions snapped a five game losing streak overall, and a ten game losing streak against the Packers. It was also their first win over a fellow NFL North squad in twenty tries. Green Bay's playoff hopes were damaged, particularly if Rodgers is out for an extended period of time. 

-In Minnesota, the Metrodome roof collapsed this morning under the weight of 17 inches of snow. I'm sure many people have already seen the video, but just in case you haven't or you want to see it again, check it out below. The Vikings game, previously scheduled for this morning, has been postponed to Monday night at 7:30pm ET, and will be played at Ford Field in Detroit.


-The race for the NFC West title continues to be fascinating. The Rams and Seahawks are tied for the division lead at 6-7. The 49ers are not far behind at 5-8. Heck, lets call Arizona relevant still at 4-8. The Cardinals' rookie quarterback John Skelton was a winner in his first NFL start, a 43-13 win over the Denver Broncos. Arizona kicker Jay Feely even scored a touchdown via a short run on a fake field goal. I hope this link allows you to check out his score. 

-The race for the AFC West is also intriguing. The Chiefs lost 31-0 at San Diego to fall to 8-5. The did not score under the direction of quarterback Brodie Croyle, who was starting in place of Matt Cassel, who missed the game due to an appendectomy that was performed midweek. The Raiders lost to drop to 6-7, but aren't out of the race yet. 

-Crazy shinanigans went down at the game between the Tampa Bay Buccaneers and Washington Redskins. A steady rain fell throughout the game, forcing a few memorable mishaps. Redskins kicker Graham Gano missed two field goals. Late in the game, a mistake by somebody gave Washington an extra down, which the team needed to score a touchdown with 19 seconds remaining. On the extra point, which would have tied the score at 17, Redskins punter Hunter Smith had the high snap slip through his hands, and the Buccaneers game away with a 17-16 victory

-The New England Patriots beat the Chicago Bears 36-7 amidst an epic snowstorm, the same storm that pounded Minnesota this weekend. Tom Brady, a top MVP candidate, was brilliant for the Patriots, who host Green Bay next weekend, in a matchup that will lose most of its luster if the Packers are without quarterback Aaron Rodgers. 


The "Big 3" Roll Through Sacramento

Saturday night I had the pleasure of heading over to ARCO Arena to see the Sacramento Kings take on the Miami Heat.

The Heat are arguably the NBA's most "intriguing" team this season, with the newly founded trio of Dwayne Wade, LeBron James and Chris Bosh leading the way. Miami has had its ups and downs so far early this season, and is capped off a strong road trip with a 104-83 victory over Sacramento.

It was fascinating to watch the progress the Heat's trio is making in regards to continuing to work better together. Wade and James have long simply existed as the individual star of their team with varying members of their supporting cast. Now, these two are having a blast working to get Miami another championship.

The transition game these two guys bring to the table is incredible. They are close to unstoppable when one-on-one in transition, often drawing a foul and almost as often scoring the basket as well. Together, they create a nightmare matchup for teams who only have one superb defender. Heading into last night's game, I was eager to see what the Kings had played defensively in regards to guarding each guy. Donte Greene did a solid job covering James early, save for a successful ally-oop on the first possession of the game. Tyreke Evans covered Dwayne Wade early before exiting for most of the second half due to a lingering foot injury. Omri Casspi also had moments with the responsibility of covering James or Wade.

In introductions and every time Lebron touched the ball, the crowd gave him a chorus of "boos." A second half dunk, followed by a technical foul for taunting, brought upon a mixture of cheers and "boos."

Overall, a fun night seeing a big ticket in Sacramento, despite the Kings' loss. Plenty of joy came from getting to see a few NBA stars in town, ones who I'd never be sad to see in a Kings uniform.