Sportscolumn.com – Page 174 – Sports News and Commentary

Conference Championship Picks

Post author By bobbyjim45
Post date January 17, 2006
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By: Rob LaBrie

The two conference championship games include two very intriguing match-ups. On the AFC side you have the red-hot Pittsburgh Steelers going to Mile High to face the Denver Broncos. Pittsburgh is coming off a confidence-building win over the choke-artist Colts. However, Denver hasn’t lost at home all year and last week they handled the Patriots behind a solid defensive effort and a plethora of mistakes on the part of New England. In the NFC, you have the Seattle Seahawks, a trendy Super Bowl pick coming into the playoffs, at home against the Carolina Steve Smith’s… I mean… Panthers. Seattle also went undefeated at home this season including a win against the Redskins in the Divisional round. The Panthers managed to get to this game through great defense and clutch performances by Steve Smith over the last two weeks.

New York Jets

Is Mangini to the Jets a Good Move?

Post author By Matt Wells
Post date January 17, 2006
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Late Monday night, the New York Jets announced that they indeed had a new coach for the 2006 season. So, who would it be? Mike Tice? Jim Haslett? Mike Sherman? No, it would be the “frontrunner” from last week – Eric Mangini. Wait….WHO? That’s right, Eric Mangini, the defesnive coordinator for the New England Patriots in 2005. The Jets are expected to make the hiring official on Tuesday.

So inevitably, the question will be asked: Why did the Jets want Mangini so badly? Do they think this move will work? What happens if this move blows up from the start? The following explains 3 pros and cons about the hiring of Mangini, with the bad news (the cons) listed first…

Indianapolis Colts

He Missed It

“He missed it.”

The words almost simultaneously spilled from three sets of lips, just as Mike Vanderjagt’s field goal attempt sliced wide, thus eliminating the juggernaut Indianapolis Colts from Super Bowl contention.

Philadelphia 76ers

The Maturation of A.I.

Of all the intriquing storylines and subplots of the 2005-2006 season, one has stood out. In a two-month span of time that has seen Kobe Bryant score sixty-two points in three quarters, the Detriot Pistons mentioned in the same sentence as the 95-96 Bulls, a shifting in the balance of power from the Western Conference to the Eastern Conference, and as of last night, a new rivalry born,(yes, that would be Andrew Bynum versus Shaq)it has been the off-the-court development of one Allen Iverson that has intrigued me the most.

NFL General

Young Should Be Number One

Post author By bobbyjim45
Post date January 16, 2006
6 Comments on Young Should Be Number One

Reggie Bush had an amazing collegiate career. He was a walking highlight reel for his 3 year stay at USC. He helped the Trojans in getting their first two national titles, one of which was a split. He won the Heisman, joining a highly exclusive group of the best college players of all time. So naturally, who was standing on the sidelines when the game was on the line in the Rose Bowl against Vince Young’s Texas Longhorns? Reggie Bush. Who was out single-handedly tearing down the legend that was the USC Trojans while Bush was taking a break? Vince Young.

Golf

The Big Wiesy Could Give LPGA its Own "Big Five"

Post author By Mark Cunningham
Post date January 16, 2006
2 Comments on The Big Wiesy Could Give LPGA its Own "Big Five"

If you took a glance at the bottom of the PGA TOUR leaderboard after the first round of play at the Sony Open in Hawaii, you would have seen a recognizable name scrambled in with mostly TOUR no-names. Michelle Wie, a native of Honolulu, was tied for 142nd after shooting a 9-over 79. With no shot at making the cut, the 16-year-old showed flashes of brilliance in round two recording seven birdies on her way to a 2-under 68. For the fourth time in three years playing in a TOUR event, The Big Wiesy did not qualify for the weekend. One has to wonder how playing against the men is helping Michelle progress to be an elite golfer.

Pittsburgh Steelers

Say What You Will- Steelers Better Team in Victory Over Indy

Post author By Matt Wells
Post date January 16, 2006
2 Comments on Say What You Will- Steelers Better Team in Victory Over Indy

If you had asked me Sunday morning who we would be seeing in the AFC Championship Game, I would have told you that it would be the Denver Broncos at the Indianapolis Colts.

To back myself up, I would have pointed out the dominating performance the Colts put forth against the Pittsburgh Steelers in Week 12, a 26-7 victory at home. It was a game in which Peyton Manning threw for 245 yards and Edgerrin James ran for 124. The Colts scored on their first offensive play of the game, giving them the momentum they would have for the entire game. The Steelers were shut down in that game. Period. So, the Colts would logically run away with the game in Indianapolis on Sunday. Right? Oh, how wrong I was.

Indianapolis Colts

Manning Just Doesn’t Have ‘It’

Post author By Cellar Dweller
Post date January 16, 2006
10 Comments on Manning Just Doesn’t Have ‘It’

If ever a 90+ quarterback rating lied, it was this one. If ever a 290 yard, no interception game lied, it was this one. If ever a promising season lied, it was this one. Many believed that this was the year that Manning would exorcise his playoff demons. His team, the Colts, had home-field advantage. His defense was stout. His main nemesis, the Patriots, labored and limped through the regular season only to be trampled by another team of horses (Broncos) a day earlier.

But, another playoff loss, another disappointing season, and another sub-par passing effort will likely bring another off-season of head scratching, and excuse-mongering for those still supportive of Peyton Manning. Not I, though. I don’t have to scratch my head, and I no longer need to offer excuses. I now know why Manning hasn’t, didn’t, and won’t ever, perform to his abilities when it counts the most.

NFL General

Steeling The Dream Season

Post author By Larry Kaplan
Post date January 16, 2006
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There were a lot of reasons to be glued to your television on Sunday afternoon. This year’s feel good, team to root for was finally playing it’s first meaningful game in a month, and it’s first such game since meaningful took on a whole new meaning for it’s head coach. As they do every once awhile however, the sports gods reminded us that the game isn’t played on paper, or even in the movie theater. The Pittsburgh Steelers, who were written off by just about everyone in the football world three weeks ago, steam rolled the Indianapolis Colts early, and as if we were the audience during a fall-laden figure skating routine, we watched in shock, unable to turn away.

New England Patriots

Deflated Dynasty

The New England Patriots have had a great run. Nobody can deny that they have been one of the greatest teams of all time. While they certainly haven’t been as talented as teams like the Broncos, Cowboys, 49ers, or Steelers of their time, they’ve had intangibles that no other team had. Bill Belicheck is the greatest coach of his era and ranks right up there with legends like Vince Lombardi and Bill Walsh. The image of him standing on the sidelines in his Patriots hooded sweatshirt will likely be what people will think of. They also have a man by the name of Tom Brady. Tom Brady has won 3 Super Bowls at age 28. He could retire right now and easily go to the Hall of Fame. New England is broken right now, but the dynasty has not been destroyed.