Change in Australian cricket selector panel sorely needed

I fully agree with respected former panelist, John Benaud, that Andrew Hilditch, the current chairman of the selection panel for Cricket Australia, should do the right thing for the team and fall on his sword. Aside from Australia's dismal form of late, it emerged a staggering 36 players have worn the baggy green cap since the retirement of star trio Shane Warne, Glenn McGrath and Justin Langer four years ago. This is unheard of in the normally stable, durable and consistent team line-up. However, instead of that scenario taking place it emerges that Hildtich Hilditch, whose contract expires after the World Cup in April, wishes to extend contract. The selectors, under Hilditch, have an ever-worsening record, underscored by their choosing so many players and not doing enough to develop many of those selected. Australia need to get back on top and cannot do so with the current panel, and we desperately need new blood in team management.

Farewell Urban

My favorite college football coach, Urban Meyer, of Gators and Utes fame, has announced that he is quitting his position as head coach of the University of Florida. He is citing family reasons, and possibly there is a hint of disappointment in how this season has panned out, but what a coach he is. Meyer led the Gators to 2 national championships in 6 seasons, losing only 10 games in his first 5 years in Gainesville. Urban is one of the top coaches and I wish him well in any endeavor, and I am sure that he will be back coaching in the not too distant future.

Mike Shanahan's Ego Consumes Redskins

Republished from the San Francisco Chronicle: In the NFL season before the much-ballyhooed arrival in Washington of two-time Super Bowl-winning coach Mike Shanahan, the team in Washington that Shanahan took over had lots of problems. The defense, however, was not one of them. It even featured a new two-time Pro Bowl player, defensive tackle Albert Haynesworth, who team owner Dan Snyder bought off the free-agent market with a $100-million contract that made him the richest defensive player in NFL history. But on Tuesday, an ugly dozen games into his Washington coaching career -- for which he has produced just five wins -- Shanahan kicked Haynesworth off the team for the rest of the season. "Conduct detrimental to the team" was the explanation. Shanahan didn't even let Haynesworth suit up last Sunday. The Giants then literally ran over Shanahan's Haynesworth-less defense en route to a 31-7 beat down that became the most embarrassing loss of Shanahan's Washington era. And it wasn't the first game Shanahan refused to play Haynesworth without citing injury. He shelved Haynesworth in October against the Colts and lost that game too. Haynesworth won't be a Pro Bowl player again this season for a lot of reasons. Some are his doing. A big one is Shanahan.

Watching Shanahan coach Haynesworth this season has been like the Disney comedy "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids." He took a player who arrived in the nation's capital as an MVP candidate and turned him into a backup. Shanahan took an asset on a team with few and reduced it to penny stock. Shanahan proved to be an alchemist in reverse. Watching Shanahan coach [Albert] Haynesworth this season reminded of the Disney comedy "Honey, I Shrunk the Kids." He took a player who arrived in the nation's capital as an MVP candidate and turned him into a backup. "Yesterday [Monday], when Albert was at Redskin Park, he told our General Manager Bruce Allen that he [Haynesworth] would no longer speak with me," Shanahan said in a prepared statement released Tuesday. "Although suspending any player is not a decision that a head coach enters into lightly, I believe the situation has reached the point where the club clearly has no alternative." Consider the disrespect mutual.

There was one calculation Shanahan was correct in making about Haynesworth. It was that he could positively juxtapose himself against Haynesworth, casting Haynesworth as another overpaid, couldn't-care-less athlete who fans, and much of the media, love to loath. Haynesworth was an easy mark, too. He looked the part of the despised with his protruding belly. He acted the part by bypassing involuntary workouts and showing up at headquarters only when required to, and then doing so in a brand new car that only a $100 million athlete can buy. Haynesworth appeared to be the perfect malcontent. The disgust he garnered kicked up so much dust that it blinded most observers to Shanahan's own shortcomings. After all, that defense Shanahan inherited with Haynesworth as an anchor was the 10th stingiest in points allowed in 2009. It played a 4-3 alignment in which Haynesworth prospered. Through 12 games in 2010, however, the same defense ranks dead last in points allowed. Shanahan instituted his preferred 3-4 alignment that Haynesworth had to be dragged kicking and screaming to play.

Haynesworth was alone early on in his protest of Shanahan's philosophy. But as the defense continued to get shoved up and down the field, other teammates began to side with his critique. But with Shanahan, it was going to be his way or the highway. Shanahan's way, quietly as it's been kept, is to nowhere nowadays. It's been a long time since Shanahan was a Super Bowl-winning coach. Come next season, it will be two decades ago that Hall of Fame member John Elway quarterbacked Shanahan's Denver Broncos to back-to-back titles. It's even been a while since Shanahan was a playoff participating coach too. The last time was in the 2005 season when his Broncos finished 13-3 and lost to the Steelers in the AFC championship game. Since then, Shanahan has been nothing more than an average coach in this league. He went 9-7, 7-9 and 8-8 in his last three seasons in Denver before Snyder swooped in last offseason and whisked him away to the East Coast.

To read the complete article by Kevin Blackistone, please click on the title link, "Mike Shanahan's Ego Consumes Redskins"

This humble pie tastes like a car tire and it goes down like peanut butter

They say that pride cometh before the fall, and last night the cocksure New York Jets got their collective butts stomped on by the New England Patriots. That by itself is not an unusual thing, it's happened many times over the last fifteen years. But it was the margin of 43 points to 7 they lost by, and frankly they were completely outclassed and sent home with their tails between their legs. For me it is a great comeuppance, for big-noting and big-mouthing about how the Jets were going to destroy their opponents. A better team, a better coach and a better plan showed them just how wrong they were.

Like many, I love it when braggarts get pummeled, and the Jets are NFLs worst. Rex Ryan is trying to instill a winning mental attitude, but in a lot of things he goes too far. It is just delicious natural justice that the team the declared itself the Superbowl favourites at the beginning of the season, have a real chance of not even making the playoffs. That would just be the ultimate in shooting oneself in the foot. Here's some advice Rex; shut-up and play, keep your comments respectful, and make sure your team comes ready to play, not to boast. Or else it will be a long and forlorn post-season for y'all! Yeehaw!

Sore losers

I have spent the last few days analyzing the reaction of the United States losing their bid to win the rights to stage the 2022 World Cup. If you were to believe most of the pundits I have heard; a) the U.S. was a sure thing, b) the U.S. was robbed, 3) no other country could possibly have deserved it, and 4) we should nuke both Qatar, the eventual winner, and FIFA headquarters in Switzerland. What a pathetic bunch of sore losers. You all make me sick. And yes, I am an American.

Let me stress some facts here. The world does not revolve around America, I know that may surprise some of you, but it's true. There are at least 250 other other countries in the world, and FIFA, the governing body, has 208 member associations, all of whom, probably would like to host the world cup. Why shouldn't it go to an Australia, an India, or... a Qatar? Yes, I understand all the arguments about infrastructure and all that, and the argument does have merit, but the U.S. hosted it very recently in 1994.

Qatar is being given the right to host, not just for their tiny country, but for the Middle Eastern region, and Qatar is certainly one of the more stable and secure nations in the area. Why shouldn't FIFA expand into new lands and increase the global game, especially in that region? Why does a negative vote automatically qualify as corruption or disrespect? Let's get on with the game. It will be the perfect opportunity for the U.S. to win the World Cup in virtually a neutral venue, where there are NO giant German, Italian, Brazilian or Argentinian shadows cast across the pitch.

End of the MWC?

I note with sadness, but appreciation, the move of Texas Christian University to leave the Mountain West Conference and forge new ties in the Big East. Completely understandable with the current and utterly useless BCS system; but only because of how that system works which has basically forced the change. But with it, possibly the death knell of the MWC has been sounded, which will become largely, the WAC version 2. A useless confederation of has-beens.

Brian Westbrook is the most underrated running back in the NFL

The happiest sight for me tonight, was not the stack of barbecue ribs I got to annihilate at dinner, but Brian Westbrook scoring his first touchdown as a San Francisco 49er. Brian, who played so many good and productive years at Philly has been one of my favorite players for a long time. I am truly ecstatic that he will be getting to propel himself further in the NFL with the Niners, and end a fantastic Hall-of-Fame career in the right way. He's only 30 years of age, so has several good seasons left in him, and I am hoping he truly gets the chance to shine well past his current one year contract. Apparently the 49ers' decision to sign Westbrook came after the sudden retirement of second year backup running back Glen Coffee. It will be a decision they will not regret.

All Blacks the All-time Winningest Rugby Team in the World

The New Zealand All Blacks completed their autumn tour of Great Britain and Ireland today, by beating a gallant Wales 37-25, and rolled decisively to their third grand slam over all the home unions in the last five years. The All Blacks outscored the Welsh by five tries to one and in the process set two major world records. The world's best first five-eighth, Daniel Carter, broke Jonny Wilkinson's world record total of 1,178 points with his second kick of the match. The biggest difference between the two champion flyhalves is that Carter accumulated his total from a lot less games, and did so by scoring 4 times as many touchdowns as his English counterpart.

In defeating the Welsh, the All Blacks also raised their all-time, all-comer, winning record to over 75% of their games. This is a phenomenal feat, one that is almost unheard of in any football code. This is especially so when you consider that New Zealand has been playing international rugby for well over 100 years. Even more astonishing is the fact that New Zealand has such a small population, currently estimated at just under 4.4 million persons. Closest rivals Australia has 22 million, South Africa has 50 million, while England has 51 million and France has a whopping 65 million citizens. Not too shabby for such a little nation, New Zealand is currently ranked No. 1 of all the top rugby playing nations and has been at that position for most of the time that the International Rugby Board has ranked international teams. By comparison, the team with the greatest winning percentage in the National Football League in the United States is the Dallas Cowboys with 58%. In truth the All Blacks define international rugby and what it means to win.

Spurs Mature in Champions League

Republished from BBC Sport by Phil McNulty: Xavier Hochstrasser was a dim and distant memory as Tottenham's impressive progress in the Champions League took them into the last 16 with time to spare. Remember the name? Back in August's high summer, Hochstrasser put Young Boys of Berne three up inside 30 minutes in a qualifier that threatened to make a mockery of Spurs' hopes of making an impact on Europe's biggest stage after a 49-year absence. Spurs recovered to lose 3-2 in what manager Harry Redknapp labelled "a great defeat" - and so it proved as they regrouped over two legs to escape an ignominious early exit and reach the group phase.

Events in Switzerland seemed an age away as White Hart Lane celebrated the latest demonstration of Tottenham's growing maturity in the Champions League with a convincing dismissal of Werder Bremen. We did not witness the swashbuckling wave of attacks that swept Inter Milan away on that memorable night but it was still an impressive statement of intent that confirmed Spurs have the capability - in an attacking sense at least - to give any opponents problems as the Champions League progresses. Werder are a team stripped of key players and confidence but the manner in which Spurs took control from the moment Younes Kaboul volleyed them into an early lead allowed them to illustrate how they have grown into the Champions League. Further goals from Luka Modric and Peter Crouch, with a missed penalty from Gareth Bale in between, put Spurs through to the knockout stage and presented them with the enticing possibility of topping Group A if they win at FC Twente in their final game. The victory capped a fruitful few days for Spurs as they followed up their dramatic comeback win over Arsenal with a performance that will have added to their burgeoning European reputation.

Redknapp raised eyebrows at the weekend when he insisted Spurs can consider themselves Premier League challengers after victory at Arsenal. And he was in no mood to hurl a bucket of cold water over White Hart Lane expectations as his side added three goals against Werder to the three against Inter Milan, four against FC Twente and another four against Young Boys in the second leg of the qualifier. If Spurs fans are revelling in watching their team inflict naked attacking intent on European opponents, Redknapp is enjoying it just as much. He offers bold words that sit comfortably alongside the bold actions of his players. "We have played some great attacking football in the Champions League," he said. "I think we will give teams problems in the way we play. We have got to keep going in the Champions League. Who knows what can happen? "We've got players who can get in any team. Bale and Modric can play in any team and I think I have got quite a few others who I think could play anywhere."

There is no question Spurs have proved they have the capacity to do damage as a wild card in the knockout games - the problem may come when opponents of the highest quality attempt to inflict damage on them. Spurs' open approach will leave them vulnerable to teams of greater quality, while the regular concession of possession by Benoit Assou-Ekotto, especially in the second half, will be punished heavily by better teams than Werder. The way Inter Milan raced into a 4-0 lead in the San Siro can be used as a suitable check should anyone in the Spurs camp care to get carried away. Come what may in the later stages, Spurs have already more than justified their place in this season's Champions League. They were without the talismanic Rafael van der Vaart against Werder but Modric was the midfield orchestrator, while a resurgent Aaron Lennon joined Bale in offering pace and width, creating goals for Kaboul and Crouch and running Werder ragged all night. Bale was, well, simply Bale. He ran in almost unstoppable straight lines and once again showed a remarkable ability to deliver quality from the flanks, even in the tightest corner.

Redknapp had every right to be elated with how Spurs have acquitted themselves in the Champions League, although all praise must be placed in the context of the opposition they were facing. Spurs have a cultured style that is well suited to Europe and Redknapp's hand will be strengthened with Jermain Defoe back and both Michael Dawson and Ledley King closing in on returns. There will be more testing examinations ahead but to move into the lucrative knockout stage ahead of schedule - and with all the possibilities that presents - represents a considerable recovery from the miserable moment Xavier Hochstrasser struck in Berne.

Gordon Gee, Ohio State, and the BCS Joke

"Even if TCU and Boise State run the table, they still don't deserve to be in the Bowl Championship Series title game," Ohio State president E. Gordon Gee said Wednesday. In an interview with The Associated Press, the president at the university with the largest athletic program in the country said that TCU and Boise State do not face a difficult enough schedule to play in the national championship game.

Mr. Gee, you are simply another (education-based) politician, with an agenda, who has no credibility to say anything on the BCS. You have a vested interest in keeping things the way they are, not because they are right or moral, but because they benefit YOU and your SCHOOL. The BCS system is reprehensible and morally bankrupt. It is not fair, and favors the rich, established, so-called elite, universities. Please zip it, you have nothing meaningful to add to the debate. You are simply afraid of Boise States and TCU, because they would kick your butts!

The only way to make the national championship for real, is to have it open to everyone. Period. This can only be accomplished by doing away with the Bowl Championship Series, which is a joke, and replace it with a zone based championship such as NCAA basketball has with the Sweet 16, Top 8 and Final 4 series. Until this is done, BCS remains a biased and unfair system.

Has the 'Holy War' Become An Unholy Mess?

You know the Holy War I am talking about... right? The yearly battle between Utah's Running Utes and the Cougars of BYU. It is one of the truly great rivalries of college football and deserves to be so. But has the whole competition situation between the two schools, state and religious just become far too uncivil and discordant? Many think so and yearn for the years where it was much more good-natured and friendly.

I think the best international rivalry is between the sports fans of Australia and New Zealand. In most instances the meeting of the fans during the game, and I mean any games, whether, rugby, league or cricket, is intense but happy. At the end, you usually find both sets in the same pub, having a beer together. That's the way it should be, a good hard-fought game, and lots of fun for both teams' followers later on.

I remember clearly, former BYU quarterback Max Hall, now playing for the Arizona Cardinals famously saying, "I don't like Utah. In fact, I hate them. I hate everything about them. I hate their program, their fans. I hate everything,". The year before apparently, Utah fans had poured beer on members of his family. Neither incident is endearing and plainly not the stuff from which legends are made. I hope it's better this year and in the many seasons to come. I also hope for a Utes win, coz I bleed red too.

Rugby Shorts

South Africa's hopes of ending a miserable year with a rare Grand Slam of the home unions ended in the driving Edinburgh rain as Scotland claimed a memorable 21-17 win at Murrayfield on Saturday.

New Zealand overwhelmed a game Ireland side 38-18 on Saturday to stay on course for its third Grand Slam of the home rugby unions in five years. The All Blacks have already beaten England and Scotland, and play Wales next Saturday in Cardiff. A victory there would mean a clean sweep of Britain and Ireland to match the achievements of 2005 and 2008.

Australia's rugby team recovered from last weekend's painful loss to England with a less-than-emphatic 32-14 win over Italy on Saturday. Winger Drew Mitchell stretched over the line for a try nine minutes in while Berrick Barnes was near-faultless with his place kicking having been brought into the Wallabies side as one of five changes from the defeat at Twickenham.

Captain Ryan Jones said he was culpable for Wales' 16-16 draw with Fiji after he conceded the last-minute penalty that let Seremaia Bai level the game. "I'm bitterly disappointed personally, that's my error that cost us," he said. "We talk about discipline all the time and I let myself and the team down."

England defeated Samoa 26-13 in their rugby union international match at Twickenham. Second-half tries from Matt Banahan and Tom Croft and Toby Flood’s four penalty kicks gave the home side the advantage over Samoa, which trailed just 6-3 at halftime.

Chasing the Chase

Of all the things that I love about motor sport, oval courses are not one of them. I just have never been quite able to get excited about high-performance V8 cars being driven, round and round and round and round and boringly around the a standard NASCAR track. Thus I hope to be forgiven by the oval faithful for not fully appreciating all the drama that a NASCAR season and especially the Chase can bring. Having said that, 2010 is easily the closest and most-barnstorming of them all probably, and maybe this fact has changed my mind.

Ok, what is it that so good about this year? One, Jimmy Johnson isn't winning by so massive a margin that the final race still actually matters. Two, the margin between the top three drivers is a mere 46 points. Three, Denny Hamlin, is actually the Chase leader, even if it is only by a scant 15 points; a fact Johnson took great pains to accentuate at a recent press-conference. So Sundays' final race should be an absolute cracker and I can't wait.

The pundits tell us that Hamlin will be series victor if he wins or is second, and anyone but Johnson wins. Johnson will take it if he wins and leads the most laps. Harvick could win it if he gets the victory, leads the most laps and Johnson finishes fifth or lower with Hamlin, eighth or worse. I have nothing at all against Jimmy Johnson, but I do generally vote for the underdog, especially one who hasn't won it before. The knowledge that Johnson has scored the last four titles, sorta makes me cheer on Hamlin, but really I just want a great race.

Oooh La La: Stade Francais Rugby Gear Hits New Fashion Heights

Yes, this is the new tough-guy rugby kit for the French Top-14 team Stade Francais. It is not, as first reported, the special NYPD SWAT camouflage uniform for New York Fashion Week.

I hate whingers, whingeing about other people whingeing

Mike Gatting, the last England cricket team skipper to win an away Ashes series, says he is tired of Australians whingeing about losing their golden generation of Shane Warne, Adam Gilchrist and Glenn McGrath. On the face of it, possibly fair, although the Aussies I think are more concerned about losing all three champions at the same time. All three Aussies were literally the best in their position, ever, and therefore hard to replace. But I guess the thing that gets my goat the most, is that England are the all-time, gold medal, MVPs of whingeing, and Mike Gatting was probably the worst of the bunch. So having him comment about others is more than a little rich, and frankly he should zip it. Ya know what I mean about the pot calling the kettle black? When Gatting was the captain of England all you heard coming out of his mouth was whining about something; the pitch was poor, the stars were not aligned, the bounce was too high, some rubbish. So please Mike, you should do what you did when Shane Warne bowled you around your legs with "the ball of the century", shut up and walk away. Nobody is interested in your own whingeing or thoughts on whingers. By the way mate, just for the record, that's a bloody ugly tie!

Sports Shorts

FIFA executive committee members Amos Adamu and Reynald Temarii have been banned from voting in the 2018 and 2022 World Cup hosting ballot. Adamu was banned from football activity for three years and Temarii for one year over claims they asked for money in exchange for World Cup votes. The 2018 Spain-Portugal and 2022 Qatar bids were cleared of collusion.

For nearly five years, Yushin Okami has pursued a rematch with reigning UFC middleweight champion Anderson Silva. He may now get his wish. Okami jabbed, clinched and grappled his way to a unanimous decision against former middleweight King of Pancrase Nate Marquardt in the UFC 122 "Marquardt vs. Okami" headliner on Saturday at the Konig Pilsener Arena in Oberhausen, Germany. Scores were 29-28, 30-27 and 29-28 for Okami, who won for the 10th time in 12 UFC appearances and solidified himself as a title contender at 185 pounds.

David Haye retained his WBA heavyweight title with a third-round stoppage of Audley Harrison in Manchester. Harrison crumbled under a barrage of blows as the all-British showdown briefly came to life after a tentative opening two rounds with few punches. Haye, 30, clinically took his chance as he floored his 39-year-old fellow Londoner after less than eight minutes.

New Zealand unleashed their best attacking qualities in swamping Scotland 49-3 at Murrayfield in Edinburgh last Sunday. The match was notable for the outstanding incisiveness provided by the off-loading ability of second five-eighths and man of the match Sonny Bill Williams, the power and pace of wing Hosea Gear, the speed and support play of fullback Mils Muliaina, and the respective contributions of wing Isaia Toeava, debut hooker Hikawera Elliot and flanker Liam Messam.

Canada wins the Four Nations Cup. The puck seemed to follow Rebecca Johnston on Saturday, so it was almost inevitable she'd be in on the winning goal. Meaghan Mikkelson's shot deflected in off Johnston's shin pad at 6:21 of overtime to give the Canadian women's hockey team the Four Nations title with a 3-2 win over the U.S. It was Johnston's second goal of the game after the 21-year-old from Sudbury, Ont., scored in the first period. She also had a backhand shot early in overtime that came close.

Vick & Eagles embarrass McNabb & Redskins 59-28

Michael Vick's rehabilitation continued against the Washington Redskins last nights when he probably played the best game of his entire career. Vick accounted for six touchdowns, from two runs into the end zone himself, and four TD passes to a variety of receivers, including an 88-yard bomb to DeSean Jackson on the first play from scrimmage. In doing so, Michael became the first player in NFL history with at least 300 yards passing, 50 yards rushing, four passing touchdowns and two rushing touchdowns in a game. He hasn’t thrown an interception or lost a fumble this season. He also cantered past Steve Young (another of my all-time favorites and another lefty) into second place in NFL history for yards rushing by a quarterback. It's a genuine feel-good story, both for the Eagles who are now tied for first place in their division, and their quarterback who is the toast of the NFL. Please let it be another Superbowl season!!!

Bookmakers in for the Kill: Literally?

Maybe the weirdest story coming out of the world of sport this week is the surfacing of Pakistani cricketer Zulqarnain Haider in London, claiming that bookmakers threatened to kill him and his family. Haider fled Dubai, and the Pakistan team, midway through through their tour to protect himself. The 24-year-old chose to flee to England because the country is very humane, very co-operative, and there are very nice people here and there are very good rules here for personal safety. However, he said he did not intend to claim permanent asylum, saying "I don't want any aid from the British government. I want to be a good citizen and I am a good citizen also in Pakistan. I want to live in peace."

Haider believes the person who threatened him wanted him to help fix the fourth and fifth ODIs against South Africa. He described the conversation but said he did not know the man's identity. Haider said the man said that if he would work with them they would provide a lot of money will give you a lot of money; if not and he went back home, they would kill him and his family. Haider said lots of people are involved in match-fixing and that he would co-operate fully with the ICC's Anti-Corruption and Security Unit as he wants cricket to be "clear of fixing". He did not accuse any of the players in the Pakistan team, saying he didn't want to blame or be negative towards anyone. The ACSU has already communicated with Haider over his claims. Haider also stated best way for the ICC to eradicate match fixing from cricket is to record all the players' phones and record where they are going. That would be a very interesting turn of events. (Story courtesy of ESPN CricInfo).

The Best Quarterbacks For The Buck

Republished from Forbes Sports Business: Yes, it pays to go to Harvard. A few years ago the school's student newspaper, the Harvard Crimson, estimated that the average alum earns six figures annually just a few years after graduation. Ryan Fitzpatrick, class of 2005, has done them one better. Fitzpatrick is a rare bird: a former Ivy League quarterback who's starting in the NFL. After throwing for 39 career touchdowns and turning in a reportedly near-perfect score on the league's Wonderlick test, Fitzpatrick went to the St. Louis Rams in the seventh round of the 2005 NFL draft. After four-plus years as a backup in St. Louis, Cincinnati and Buffalo, he's emerged as the Bills' starter. But while Fitzpatrick's three-year, $8.1 million contract may be the envy of many of his Harvard classmates, it's basically chump change to his NFL peers. That's life for a seventh-rounder with limited experience as a regular. But with a 60% completion percentage, 13 touchdowns and only seven interceptions, Fitzpatrick can claim the top spot on one list: He's football's best quarterback for the buck.

Quarterbacks in the NFL are generally paid pretty accurately: stars like Peyton Manning and Tom Brady near the top of the scale, journeyman like Jon Kitna and Derek Anderson near the bottom. But there are always exceptions. To determine which QBs deliver the most for the least, we compared the salaries for each against what we'll call his Adjusted Passer Rating--his Passer Rating (the standard formula used to rate NFL quarterbacks based on completion percentage, yards per attempt, touchdowns and interceptions) adjusted for playing time.

Example: The Eagles' Michael Vick, No. 3 on our list, currently boasts a league-leading 105.3 Passer Rating. Vick, though, has only taken about half the snaps for the Eagles offense this season. To reward Vick for his strong performance while allowing for the fact that he's done it over limited playing time, we calculated an Adjusted Passer Rating--a weighted average of his Passer Rating (two-thirds) and the percentage of his team's passes he's thrown (weighted one-third). Factoring in playing time yields Vick an Adjusted Passer Rating of 76.3, still good enough to rank as one of the league's top values relative to his modest $4.8 million salary. With his deal expiring at the end of the season, Vick could be in line for a nice raise. His past legal woes should keep shrinking in the rearview mirror if he keeps going the way he's going.

Salary figures for each player are based on average annual value under his current contract. One caveat: Because it's a stretch to declare a mediocre quarterback a "good value" even at a low price, we omitted from consideration all quarterbacks whose Passer Ratings fall below 85, the NFL median. Hence low-salaried QBs like Miami's Chad Henne and Detroit's Shaun Hill don't make the cut. Coming in at No. 2 on our list is Denver's Kyle Orton. He hasn't made fans forget John Elway, but his 92.7 Passer Rating is tied for fourth-best in the NFL among full-time quarterbacks. That tie is with the Giants' Eli Manning, who makes almost three times the money Orton does.Baltimore's Joe Flacco, the 18th overall draft pick in 2008, comes in as the fourth-best value for the quarterback buck. He has gone 29-16 as a starter, including three playoff wins, while earning a relatively modest $6 million. In fifth place: Tampa Bay's Josh Freeman, who's turned in a respectable 85.8 Passer Rating while earning significantly less ($7.2 million) than the two QBs drafted ahead of him in 2009, Matthew Stafford and Mark Sanchez.

To read the complete article by Tom Van Riper, please click on the title link, "The Best Quarterbacks For The Buck".

Lakers and Kobe Top Fan Poll

Kobe Bryant and the Los Angeles Lakers are by far the favorites with basketball fans according to survey conducted for Forbes by BIGresearch, a unit of Prosper. Oh heaven forbid, you have to be joshin' me. Kobe Bryant is a great player, but nowhere near as good as Michael Jordan, and he stinks as a person. He has a huge ego and thinks he's God's gift to everything, let alone basketball. It just goes to show how little taste people have in picking their heroes.

BIGresearch asked 5,075 people if they were an NBA fan, of which 26.8% answered yes. Of the 1,360 people who said they were fans, 22.2% said the Lakers were their favorite team, followed by the Boston Celtics with 11.9%. The Heat were ranked a distant fourth at 6.4%. I know there are a lot of people in LA, but they have the Clippers and the Warriors too. What this survey says is that winning is more important than loyalty., and that's pathetic.

Sporting World Reeling From Misconduct

There are so many allegations of disgraceful sporting conduct taking place all over the world it makes you wonder if everything is tainted. Maybe WWE Raw is as as honest as it gets, and frankly, that is scary. We know of the reports of the Alberto Contador doping scandal from the Tour de France, but that is just the tip of the iceberg. Making big headlines right now is the story of Cam Newton, the Auburn quarterback, being offered to the the highest bidder for between $100,000 to $180,000. Newton's father, Cecil is reported to have made the pitch and said that his son's enrollment was "not gonna be free this time." If this proves to be true it will rip open the NCAA governance of collegiate sport and probably negate any chance of Newton claiming a Heisman.

Topping that we have the International Federation of Association Football (FIFA), the Zurich-based soccer governing organization, saying on November 17 they will announce the ethics committee’s decision on whether to expel Nigeria’s Amos Adamu and Tahiti’s Reynald Temarii. The two were suspended on October 21, 2010 after the duo allegedly told undercover reporters they would exchange their World Cup votes for cash. If they are expelled, 22 members of the executive committee will vote on the 2018 and 2022 hosts for sport’s most-watched event.

On a lesser scale but bad enough, we have Ted Forstmann, the chief executive officer of IMG Worldwide Inc., making a $40,000 wager on Roger Federer, to beat Rafael Nadal in the 2007 French Open final. IMG is the sports agency that represents athletes including golfer Tiger Woods and Federer, said in an interview that he regretted betting on Federer to win the match against Nadal, also an IMG client. The ATP has sent the message very clearly to Mr. Forstmann that we consider his behavior inappropriate and that he will be in violation of the rules if he engages in such activity in the future,” the ATP said. Forstmann’s bet, which was criticized by Federer, may form part of a lawsuit that accuses the executive of using company funds to cover gambling losses, the New York Times said. Forstmann denies wrongdoing and said the bet was legal. It may have been lawful but it wasn't right and he should have known better.

What is going to take to get this garbage out of sport? I guess maybe it's impossible, but I sure hope that the governing bodies make examples of those proven to be breaking the rules. Greed seems to be the guiding factor in so much of sport and it is sickening. Sport is supposed to be the great leveler, where talent speaks for itself, it is supposed to be the arena where any person can shine and earn their way. There is nothing wrong with making a good living out of sport if one has the ability; as a player, scout, coach, referee or administrator. But not at the expense of the team, the league, the fans and the game. Thankfully we still have personalities with integrity, like Federer who set the right example and lead the way.

Why Experts Failed To Predict Cowboy’s Failures And Why Phillips Had To Go

Republished from Forbes SportsMoney: When I heard Wade Phillips was fired from the Dallas Cowboys, I did what all sports fans do – run to business appraisal principles to explain what just happened. Two terms jumped immediately to mind. If both terms were part of the pre-season predictions the so-called experts would have tempered their high expectations that the Cowboys were likely to go deep in the playoffs and perhaps be the first team to play the Super Bowl in their home stadium. Both business valuation terms, if included in their analysis would have lowered expectations. That is important because I have lived long enough to disappoint often, and can testify that disappointment is often a function of unrealistic expectations. With lower expectations, the bubble would not have been so large, and the burst would not have drowned the players and fans so irrepressibly and fatally. And perhaps the weight of those lofty expectations may not have crushed the Wade Phillips career so abruptly.

Term one: Entity Synergy. It has been defined by businessdictionary.com as when two or more entities work in concert “in a particularly fruitful way” that produces an effect greater the sum of their individual effects, i.e. “the whole is greater than the sum of its parts.” The example provided is when two or more employees excel when working together but who, when working alone are ordinary.

The Cowboys have great talent at many positions. So much so, the experts said, “End of story, talent wins out – see you in the Super Bowl.” They have not one but two All-Pro cornerbacks from last year, Mike Jenkins and Terence Newman. They have not one, but two All-Pro receivers in Miles Austin and Roy Williams, not to mention the super-talented Dez Bryant waiting on deck. Then there is Marion Barber to run the little pigskin, and All-Pro Leonard David to open holes for him to run through with the little piggy. And to keep the opposition from scoring there is linebacker DeMarcus Ware. But he may not have to tackle anybody because All-Pro Jay Ratliff is on the defensive line.

But if something was amiss amongst the players as a whole, or between the players and the coaching staff, or with ownership, they may well get it backwards. Instead of ordinary players becoming excellent through synergistic magic, they were excellent individuals that became ordinary. Based on their current 1-7 record, they are less than ordinary. The ability to “work in concert” for qualitative business synergy is the same harmony needed for a successful football team. The good quarterback can be ordinary without an effective offensive line. Without holes to run through, the running back becomes the run-down back, and the receiver gets no passes if the QB is sacked. They need that well-oiled oneness and hugability that does not come from just an assemblage of plant and equipment – or in this case individual player assets. The great predictions of the excellent Dallas defense failed to incorporate whatever lost faith that caused the implosion over the most recent games where they gave up over 30 points a game. Perhaps at some level they gave up before the points were actually scored.

The other business valuation term is “going concern value”. It refers to a type of value – the operational value of the entire enterprise. This incorporates the tangible assets (e.g. land, improvements, and fixtures) and intangible assets. In both cases what really makes the entity valuable and successful is the very special way the intangibles and tangible assets come together to generate a present value of future net income.

Simply put, the Cowboys did not have those intangibles coming into the season, and appear to have less of them now. The experts would have been wise not to myopically look at whether the “assets” are individually impressive. Yes, the aforementioned list of 2010 All Pros arguably presents more individually valuable assets than any other team in the NFL. But as corny as it sounds, the team is not as successful if the intangibles are not there. This may be the biggest unrecorded asset collapse since the Wall Street mortgage crisis. The lesson I hope to remember in making sense of this is that the way the players, coaches, and owners come together still has to be “special”.

We hear players from great teams say all the time, “we believe in each other”, “we’ve got each other’s back”, “if he needs to go the bathroom, I’ll hold his… locker open.” And because the experts have heard it before they discount it. Perhaps that is because they either never played at that level or never felt the power of that synergy and operation as a going concern. But most truth has simplicity and longevity. The axiom that the whole is greater than the sum of the parts is exactly what the Cowboys needed to succeed, no matter how many All-Pro caliber individual players are in the locker room. They need to hold it open for each other on and off the field to have a going concern value that generates future wins.

It is not the same as just adding up all the telephones, plant and equipment. It is not just lining up All-pro talent. This is not fantasy football. Until we see that beyond talent, there is synergy, we should be careful about glorious predictions. Before this past Sunday’s Farbonoics, the Vikings were a Super Bowl prediction that was also about to be buried in embarrassment for much the same lack of those fruitful intangible attributes.

But Wade still had to go, don’t you think? Some of us will blame the players, or the owner. But Wade had the ultimate responsibility to generate wins. And for an owner to remain confident there are wins in the future, you don’t want to see the inability to even compete with a team of substantially similar talent in Green Bay. No confidence oozes from a 45-7 loss, coming on the heels of a 35-17 loss to a team, Jacksonville, which is struggling to stay 500. Traditional wisdom is you don’t make a mid-season head coaching change unless things are really, really, bad, as in “can’t get much worse” bad. That would seem to be the case. But before the experts claim next season’s Super Bowl contestants before the season starts, I hope they remember to value the synergy and going concern value of the enterprise.

To read the full article by Roger Groves, please click on the title link, "Why Experts Failed To Predict Cowboy’s Failures And Why Phillips Had To Go".

Sports shorts

India found an unlikely batting hero in tailender Harbhajan Singh, who produced a match-saving maiden Test century to steer his team to safety alongside VVS Laxman as the first cricket Test against New Zealand ended in a draw on Monday. The gutsy Harbhajan (115) notched up his only first class century and combined with veteran Laxman (91) as the duo dented New Zealand's push for victory with a solid 163-run partnership for the seventh wicket.

Sir Alex Ferguson labelled Owen Hargreaves latest injury a "disaster" after Manchester United struck a last-gasp winner to beat Wolves 2-1 at Old Trafford. Hargreaves, making his first start for the club in over two years, only lasted five minutes before coming off with a hamstring injury. Park Ji-Sung hit the winner in injury time to prevent United slipping further behind Chelsea in the title race.

A bidding war could erupt for Spurs starlet Gareth Bale, with the Inter Milan president signalling his interest in the Welshman. Massimo Moratti did not rule out launching a bid to prise Bale from White Hart Lane. "If he plays like he did, then why not?" said the Inter president after Spurs beat his club 3-1 last night.

Russell Crowe has pulled off his greatest coup yet after Brisbane withdrew the contract they offered to superstar Greg Inglis. South Sydney's attempts to poach Inglis are ''all but a done deal'', despite growing concerns over how the foundation club can afford to cram one of the world's best players under the salary cap

He may have helped set-up Hosea Gear's try with a trademark offload, yet All Blacks debutant Sonny Bill Williams refused to flip cartwheels about his performance in his test debut at Twickenham this morning. The massive centre gave the international rugby world an early glimpse of his abilities in the 15-man game when he unravelled one long arm to put Mils Muliaina in space during a movement that led to Gear scoring in the 26-16 win over England.

Promotion and Relegation of Soccer Referees

Professional soccer referees, like the players they manage, should be graded under a fair, equitable and transparent system; and promoted or relegated according to their performance. This sounds ideal and possible for adoption in any sporting code. But this idea, recently tabled by manager Tony Pulis of English Premier League club Stoke would I am sure have its critics. Not me though, I think it is a workable solution to the perception that some referees are not up to top flight work, or favour larger and more established clubs over their poorer or newly promoted cousins. Pulis was angry Stoke were denied a penalty on Saturday when Sunderland's Lee Cattermole appeared to handle Kenwyne Jones' header on the goal-line and advocated the introduction of a relegation system for referees to stop poor decisions.

This is not referee bashing, it is a practical way of lifting the standard of football across the league, with referees, players and clubs benefiting. I have refereed at fairly high level myself, albeit in a vastly different sport, and can see the advantage of being evaluated and rated according to set criteria that are open and reasonable. Not only would poorly functioning referees be sent to a lower level, they would also be properly trained and nurtured. Conversely, those referees in lower competitions could be promoted upward to match their skill level. Both the Premier League and The Championship would profit from this arrangement. A similar scheme currently exists in England, with clubs having the opportunity to comment on referee ability, but tighter regulations and promotion or relegation would spark better results.

Who Dares Wins

I have just finished watching one of the most embarrassing debacles in National Football League with the final burial of the cancer-riddled Dallas Cowboys. The Green Bay Packers absolutely put the Cowboys to the sword, killing them 45-7. This is not anything I lament because I detest the Cowgirls, but I comment because of an interesting phenomenon, a bemused Jerry Jones who has basically done nothing to help his team for the last year. Abrogation of responsibility is just something I didn't expect from the micro-manager of the century. Wade Phillips is a nice guy, he has a great footballing brain, and is probably a good coach! Just NOT for the Dallas Cowboys.

I keep hearing commentators, many of whom I highly respect, saying 'categorically' that changing a coach in mid-season does not work. Well, aside from the fact that Wade should have been fired as ineffective by the end of last season, what a load of manure! The argument is usually something like... well, the change can't make any difference now, so why do it? Because the now is the present, and the Dallas Cowboys don't have a present! They have a glory filled past, with heavily expectant fans, and future! But this season is done. Kaput.

That leaves next year and beyond. The reason you let Wade go now is so that someone can come in and starting laying a guiding hand of the helm (the rudderless one that Dallas has right now). Any owner or general manager worth his salt would have had a replacement shortlist for some time, so it shouldn't be a guessing game. Get someone in to right the ship. Even if the its a temporary Head Coach at least it is change, stops the rot, and gives that new guy a chance to stamp his brand on the steers hide. Pardon the pun. It could be Jason Garrett the Offensive Coordinator or Bill Cowher, it doesn't matter, just do SOMETHING. DARE to do something positive. The one smart observation that came out of tonight commentary, from Cris Collinsworth, is that Dallas responds best as a team to a demanding taskmaster. So Jerry let's great cracking, times-a-wasting!

Post note: It happened. NFL Network: Cowboys fire Wade Phillips as head coach, promote Jason Garrett.

Definition of Slaughter

Slaughter
–noun

1. The extensive, violent, bloody, or wanton destruction of life; carnage.
2. The act of killing cattle or other beasts for market.
3. What Texas Christian University did to the University of Utah football team on Saturday, November 6, 2010 at Rice-Eccles Stadium. The Utes on the other hand, went as lambs, to the slaughter!
   

Misfits that Win

The San Francisco Giants have won the World Series, kudos to them, what an effort. Nobody would have given them a snowflakes chance at the beginning of the season, which makes the feat even more exemplary. Giants Manager Bruce Bochy, said the team won because of it's the diversity and a contribution from everybody. Bochy said in response to being asked what stood out to him about this particular team. "This is not a team that has one star carrying it. It took 25 guys to do this. They set aside their own egos or agendas." With the utmost respect, he called them a "bunch of misfits". And what a band of misfits, the World Champions of Oddballs; it sort of gives us all a sense of being able to win something when thrown together. And even more fitting, they won their solitary title since moving to San Francisco, without Barry Bonds, that pimple of a player, who was a great slugger but a surly, horrible man. What a great tale. As my buddy said on Facebook the other day, "Thank ... for MY misfits!"

Rescued Chilean Miner Prepared for NYC Marathon

Republished from ABC News/ESPN Sports: Edison Pena has prepared for Sunday's New York City Marathon like no other competitor: running each morning and afternoon in steel-tipped electrician's boots that he cut down to ankle-high shoes. Pena ran back and forth along a 1,000-yard (1-kilometer) path through the darkness and stifling heat and humidity inside the collapsed gold and copper mine where he and 32 other men were trapped for 69 days before last month's dramatic rescue. Pena ran to clear his head, to push away his anxiety.

And he ran, fellow miners said, because he wanted to be ready to represent them in a marathon, where he might be able to spread a message about what he hopes will be the legacies of their ordeal: safer workplaces, closer families and more trust in God. "If I had to run barefoot, I would have done it," Pena told Associated Press Television News after his rescue. "Life has given us a new challenge — to care more deeply, to be more present with the people we love." Pena, 34, has been among the more outspoken of the rescued miners, a man willing to show his emotions, even tears, as he talks of his intense desire that Chile's mineral riches don't come at the expense of working people ordered into mines known to be unsafe.

"I would like things to change," he said. "It was for something that I ran inside the mine. I think that things can be done. I think we suffered too much, that this too has to be worth something." Marathon organizers who learned of Pena's subterranean exercise routine had invited him to come to New York to watch the race. They were shocked when he asked to run instead. "Edison Pena will be one of the stars of this year's marathon as he will be among the 43,000 or more runners at the starting line on Sunday," said New York Road Runners spokesman Richard Finn in an e-mail to The Associated Press. Fellow miners weren't surprised that Pena wanted to run in the marathon.

To read the complete article by Eva Vergara, please click on the title link: "Rescued Chilean Miner Prepared for NYC Marathon".

The Rock JOINS the Hard Place

One of the best pieces of sports news to come out of last week was the announced merger of the Ultimate Fighting Championship and World Extreme Cagefighting, to happen in 2011. This is a wonderful surprise for mixed martial arts fans, a legion that keeps growing and growing. It brings the two biggest organizations under one roof and will deliver a number of pluses to spectators, fighters, and moneymen alike.

Here is what ESPNs Jason Lagendorf says that we can expect from the merger:

• Deeper fights card - UFC cards have become undeniably leaner over time, especially as fan sophistication grows and expectations are raised. You want us? Fine, you got us. Now give us enough reasons to stick around.
• Greater appreciation for 'outside' promotions - it won't overlook the good stuff happening in some of the other circuits, most notably Strikeforce and Bellator.
• A lightweight royal rumble - the UFC has divisional hierarchies and matchmaking that are mostly fair and transparent.
• No more Napoleon Complex - the lower weight classes routinely put on some of the best fights around, at least they'll get a chance to enjoy the same exposure as the big boys.
  
• OK, it's all about Jose - one subject has captivated MMA fans in recent months, when will Aldo make the jump?

This is what boxing should have done years ago instead of degenerating into the farce that the sport has become. In the way of that happening are huge egos and too much money to ever let go. The principals have become the sport. But with the merger of UFC and WEC the fans get top fighting and better class of promotions. All the best stuff possible. MMA is here to stay, now bigger and better than before.

Randy Moss is a Square Peg Looking for a new Round Hole

Bizarre happenings in the frozen north! I know gloomy-gray skies and forever snow can make a guy grumpy and irritable, but come on, there's no cause for incivility. But it seems that the Randy Moss and Brad Childress marriage is going though an annulment quicker than Britney Spears and Jason Alexander. Randy was only in Minnesota less than month so what caused such a shocking change of heart?

If you believe the various things that are being broadcast around the NFL, then Randy may have only himself to blame. Especially when the team knows how well he can play. He had little production as a receiver in the four games he plays and seems to many observers that he only plays hard when he, Randy, feels like it. Well in professional sport, that kind of princely attitude will only get you fired and push away other suitors. Is it a wide receiver thing recently, like being a jerk and not really trying to be part of a team? Look what happened to outfits that played Terrell Owen; they weren't happy unions neither.

Of course you gotta have two to tango. There is also a lot of chatter in the team and around the league that Coach Childress not the deeply loved leader that the front office would like us to believe. I have heard of comments the bemoan the lack of football understanding that the boss actually has, or knowledge of the game to take a team forward, Whatever is actually the case, things are not close to being good in the Land of Vikings. Time for coaches and senior players to grab their spears, draw a line in the sand and put their pasts behind them. Time to win a berth in the playoffs through just sheer hard work and guts.

What were you thinking Mike?

Today Mike Shanahan, the current coach of the Washington Redskins, did a really stupid thing as a leader. I have a healthy respect for Shanahan as a coach, especially when he was in Denver. After all, the man won back to back Superbowls in 1997 and 1998. He built a winning team and has a winning system, both things I admire. But in benching Donovan McNabb two minutes before the end of a game while losing, and bringing on Rex "Mr Reliable" Grossman, who hasn't done anything meaningful in almost three years. You have to be kidding Mike... seriously!

What message are you trying to send here?That the benching was just a situational substitution with no long-term effect.Who are you kidding mate? You have sent a loud, clear message that you don't trust your number one quarterback, you don't have faith in him in tough situations, and that the huge money and hype you put up to bring McNabb to Washington was all talk. One small call but one with massive implications. All of a sudden you have cut the foundations you have built since pre-season and the team is rudderless. What were you thinking, I would truly like to know, but you blew it. It was a juvenile, knee-jerk decision that will come back to haunt you. You, of all people, should know better. Oh, and did Rex win you the game? Hell no, he fumbled and the opposition scooped up the ball and ran it home for a touchdown.

I hate it when both are right!

My beloved Tottenham Hotspur played Manchester United today and, yes the Red Devils won as expected, 2-0. The game ended as a farce when the referee abrogated his responsibility to the players and failed to inform them of what was going on after a free-for-all in the penalty. Nani thought he was fouled, which was a load of cobblers (he went to ground after being breathed on), and then touched the ball. Believing a free kick had been awarded the Spurs keeper tried to take a free kick, when Nani walked around Gomes and tapped the ball into the net. Then all hell broke loose and the referee almost got lynched.

Manchester United's manager, Sir Alex Ferguson, said that the goal was Gomes fault because he should have known better. And I totally agree with him. Gomes is a good keeper physically but goes on mental walkabouts too many times; maybe a spell on the bench might clear his mind! Tottenham's manager, Harry Redknapp said that Nani had touched the ball and should have been booked. If he's booked it's a free kick, and Spurs can get on with trying to salvage the draw and a point. He's right too and that's annoying. I hate when they both are correct.

They are also both correct when each manager says that nobody knew what was going on. It was a total stuff up. The referee should have clarified what was happening and then got on with the game. Instead he says nothing and stands there with his hands on his hips like some poncy scarecrow. Thankfully, the game was not decided on this one incident although it did totally take the result away from Spurs when a nail-biting finish was on the cards. Mark Clattenburg, the referee, is obviously not capable of controlling such a high class and important game and should be sent to the Championship or lower to brush up on his skills. It's not the first time he has committed such a howler. Either way, a complete farce finish to a good, tight game.

Pre-season games mean nothing

Pre-season basketball and NFL games are meaningless, except for their ability to suck in tons of fans (and therefore money) to watch their teams play. The perfect example of this is the recent run of form that the new Utah Jazz have been showing. They had a perfect pre-season, winning all of their games, even against top opposition like the LA Lakers and Phoenix Suns. But that means diddly! The Jazz got absolutely clobbered by the Denver Nuggets in the opening game of the regular season by 22 points. Some much for the big run, it's all show. Pre-season is basically practice, and club owners should come clean and sell these tickets for $5.00 a pop. Anything is robbery. Some sports, like Rugby League and Australian Rules football have a trophy for their pre-season competition which at least makes it semi-honest. The rest is rubbish. And there was all that feel good stuff about a new look Jazz team.

Broncos can't buck this trend

Republished from ESPN: So that's it, then. It's done. The fix is arranged. It's Game Over and everybody knows the score. The BCS computers TKO Boise State. Why keep punching when it's not a fair fight?

Auburn and Oregon are No. 1 and No. 2 in the country according to Sunday's latest, most fraudulent compilation yet from the BCS rankings. If those two schools win the rest of their games, they'll play in the BCS Championship Game.

And Boise State? Members of football's lowest caste system? It doesn't matter. The BSUntouchables play Louisiana Tech on Tuesday night, but they're just cleaning windows on the Titanic now. If Auburn and Oregon win out, Boise State can wipe out every opponent 50-0 and not make it in now. And the Broncos probably won't even if the Tigers and Ducks don't win out. Yes, we're talking about Auburn. The team that has 13 fewer wins over the past five seasons than Boise State. Yes, we're talking about Oregon. The same team Boise State punched out last season 19-8.

It's the biggest rip-off since the Nigerian prince scam. It makes you wonder why you watch college football at all. What Boise State is being asked to do isn't doable. It's like trying to win a Cuban election. Or break into the Genovese family.

The Broncos are 6-0. They've won 20 straight games, the longest streak in the country. They've beaten two BCS automatic qualifiers -- 6th-ranked Virginia Tech and 24th-ranked Oregon State. Doesn't matter. BSU could whip the 103rd Infantry and it wouldn't get a sniff. The computers are in charge. The pod bay doors won't open.

Boise State is going to get seated at the kids' table again. The Broncos will go to some pointless bowl and beat somebody like they always do -- they've already bested Oklahoma and TCU in bowls like that -- and they'll come home with a win and a hatful of "You kids sure play with a lot of heart up there" put-downs from the BCS blazers.

To read the complete article by Rick Reilly please click on the title link: "Broncos can't buck this trend".

Who Says Sports and Politics Don't Mix?

Former Philadelphia Eagles hardman John Runyan is in the race of his life. Not going for any fumbled football or a quarterback's head in this one, but running for the District 3 Congressional seat in southern New Jersey. Bit of a switcheroo you might say, and you'd be right! Apparently being named one of the dirtiest players in the NFL during his stint in the City of Brotherly Love is just the kind of training that Runyan can use in his campaign and possibly in the job itself. After all, New Jersey is pretty much known as the corruption capital of the United States. I think we'd all get out the way real fast is this guy was running at you hard.

As is the case with many political outsiders, Runyan's campaign casts his non-experience as an asset, and his opponent Adler's incumbency, as a liability. A recent ad from the Republican candidate called Adler a "career politician" and "part of the problem for 21 years." Runyan got a boost last Friday from New Jersey Governor Chris Christie, who told supporters "there's nothing moderate about John Adler's record" and accused the incumbent of being a reliable vote for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. That could be a death knell for Runyan's opponent without the guy taking a swipe at him physically.

Sports Shorts

Perth star Erin McGowan is the new WBO female 135 champion. Erin showed brilliance and superstar potential with a near-flawless performance last night over the United Kingdom's Lindsey Scragg at the Arena Jundaloop here in front of a raucous crowd that came to cheer for their fighter. McGowan worked behind a crisp jab, and surprised everyone when she took the fight to Scragg instead of just using her height and reach advantage to cruise to a victory. The undefeated McGowan proved the busier and stronger fighter in this exciting and explosive 10-round dukeout which had the crowd on their feet throughout.

By winning his third crown in 2010, Roger Federer matched Pete Sampras in career ATP titles at 64. The Swiss is now targeting John McEnroe’s 77 for the No. 3 spot. At the If Stockholm Open, Federer found himself down a break at 4-3 in the final to Florian Mayer until the German admitted that situation got into his head. After consecutive weeks in Shanghai and now Stockholm, Federer now has a week of rest before his home Basel tennis event begins next Monday.

Lote Tuqiri has played in World Cups in two codes, contested State of Origin deciders and tasted NRL premiership success during his 11 years as a professional footballer. But the veteran winger still found himself in a "dream state" when his name was read out in Australia's starting line-up for Sunday's Four Nations match against Papua New Guinea. The selection means the 31-year-old is the first player to earn selection as a Kangaroo, then a Wallaby, before returning to rugby league's international stage with Australia.

Former BYU player Ben Cahoon, 5-foot-9 and 180 pounds, is one of only nine professional football players to catch more than 1,000 passes in a career (see chart), and only the second to do it in the CFL. Heading into an Oct. 10 game against the Calgary Stampeders, he needed four catches to surpass Terry Vaughn's CFL career record of 1,006. He made the fourth catch with five minutes left in the game, hauling in another pass from Anthony Calvilo, the former Utah State quarterback who arrived in Montreal the same year as Cahoon.

Chelsea are planning to test the resolve of Liverpool's new owners by making a fresh bid for Spain striker Fernando Torres in the Barclays Premier League January transfer window. Liverpool rejected an offer of £25 million ($40.2m) for the Spain striker last northern summer, but Chelsea are hoping to exploit the regime change at Anfield and the team's poor start to the season by signing one of their prized assets. Torres professed his loyalty to Liverpool in a prearranged statement in August, but his commitment is contingent on the club challenging for the biggest trophies, which are already looking out of reach this season as the Reds are languishing in 19th place.

While Sonny Bill Williams will be forever grateful to former Toulon coach Tana Umaga and the club's colourful owner, Mourad Boudjellal, for the opportunity and support they gave him in adapting to the new code, Williams's development has accelerated at a rate faster than even he anticipated since his move to New Zealand. In just five national provincial competition appearances for Canterbury, the 25-year-old has confounded his critics with a devastating attacking style that convinced New Zealand selectors to choose him in a 30-man squad for this weekend's Bledisloe Cup match against Australia in Hong Kong and the end-of-season European tour. Should he make his Test debut on tour, Williams will become only the second Kiwi league international to switch codes and represent the country in rugby union.

Should football follow rugby’s lead?

Republished from The Globe and the Mail: On the football field, the uniform is a suit of armour that makes players feel invincible and has the NFL in a sudden scramble to make the game safe. On the rugby pitch, where the action is every bit as vicious, they've been playing for decades with little more than a paper-thin set of shoulder pads. These are two violent games, each of which produce more than their fair share of injuries. But if a rugby player is going to get “blown up” — as they like to say in the NFL — the sound will be that of bone-on-bone, not the loud, made-for-TV popping of a helmet onto a pair of shoulder pads. When you put those pads and helmets on, it does protect you, but only to an extent,” said Eddie O'Sullivan, a former rugby player in Ireland who now serves as head coach for the U.S. national team.

By eschewing pads and helmets, rugby players say they avoid the perils of the so-called “Superman effect,” a sensation that emboldens players to take bigger chances and make bigger hits because they feel safeguarded by equipment that essentially turns them into armour-plated projectiles. “A helmet would actually be seen as a form of protection, so that would massively change the way the game is played,” said Chris Jones, who has played for the Sale Sharks rugby union team in Britain for 10 years. “It wouldn't really suit rugby to wear helmets.” Indeed, helmets and thick shoulder pads would alter the fundamentals of rugby — especially the tackling part, which has less to do with knocking an opponent to the ground, more to do with wrapping him up and keeping him there. “It's a more precise skill, rather than just the car wreck effect that you see on the gridiron, and that's the thing that keeps the game pretty safe for us,” O'Sullivan said.

Rugby players are taught to never use their head in making the tackle, and without a helmet to protect them, the logic is pretty clear. Any player leading with the head is almost certain to get hurt as badly as the person he's trying to hit. Meanwhile, ballcarriers in rugby — a game with continuous play and no forward passes — are also taught that it's better to go down easily so they can more effectively work the ball back to a teammate and keep play moving. This is not the way of the NFL, and suddenly, the league finds itself in the midst of a safety crisis. On Sunday, a new era in the NFL will begin, one in which extra scrutiny will be given to hits made at shoulder level and above. Players who have been taught since childhood to hit hard, and often to lead with their helmet and shoulders, have become confused about what's allowable and what's not.

In the middle of this debate, a couple of the sport's icons, Penn State coach Joe Paterno and former Bears coach and tight end Mike Ditka, have suggested helmets either be scaled back or completely eliminated from football — an almost certainly unworkable prospect that would make football look the way it did in the 1940s and 1950s ... and more similar to what rugby still looks like today. “I don't think people would strike with the head as much,” Ditka said during the week. “You would learn to strike with the shoulder pads if you didn't have a helmet on your head. ”While they're far from helmets, rugby does make “scrum caps” — soft, padded head guards — available, though they are mainly used to protect players from getting their ears bents and tweaked during scrums. The caps, more recently, have fallen out of favour because players think they feel awkward and don't want to appear “soft” by wearing them. Instead, many favour tying a simple cloth or elastic band around their heads to protect their ears.

If you would like to read the entire article by Eddie Pells, please click on the highlighted title link, "Should football follow rugby's lead?".