Hey Al, try a mirror

So the Raiders lose a close one to the Bills yesterday, 24-23, on a last second field goal. Today, reports surface that Oakland owner Al Davis is going to fire coach Lane Kiffin. Granted the two never really clicked in the personality department. One of the root causes of the whole mess is the relationship between defensive coordinatior Rob Ryan and Kifflin. Interestingly enough, yesterday's loss came after the Raider defense allowed 17 points in the final 8 minutes of the game. Sabatoge? Considering Ryan's pedigree, it's not as improbable as it sounds.

But Al Davis needs to look in the mirror. It's there he'll see the man who refused to backup his head coach when Kifflin asked to fire Ryan before the start of this season. As a result, you have a defensive coordinator who refuses to listen to the head coach. It's no wonder the defense blew a 17-point lead with 8 minutes left. You're to blame Al, one else.

When is it no longer artistic license?

That swooshing sound is Ernie Davis rolling over in his grave. Multiple times. The new Ernie Davis statue unveiled this week at his alma mater Syracuse is, um, stretching(?) the idea of artistic license. As was widely reported, the bronze of the first black Heisman trophy winner depicts the collegiate football legend wearing Nike cleats.

And a Nike jersey.

And a modern-era helmet.

Ernie Davis died in 1963.

The twist? Bruno Lucchesi was commissioned to create the statue to replace another statue of Davis by Rochester artist Sharon Locke unveiled several weeks ago because the university decided that her work "didn't come out the way we expected."

Hey, Sports Fans!!

Is this a great time to be a sports fan or what?

The Tampa Bay Rays have regained first place in the American League East.

The Phillies have overtaken the Mets in the NL East.

The Brewers have lost their grip on the wildcard race.

Ryan Howard is among those considered a legitimate MVP candidate (by some).

NFL week three is just four days away.

And RallyCap is still alive in the suicide pool. (New England and Pittsburgh were the first two picks).

Oh, and college hoops start in less than a month!

And then there is this . . .

Now it's only a matter of time before the NBA gets started and ruins everything.

Screwed or blown?

Ed Hoculi's call in the Chargers' Bronco's game was horrendous. It was so big that the NFL's competition committee will probably change the rule that caused him to erroneously blow the play dead.

But my high school football coach had a saying that is still apropos low these many years later: "If you win the game, there's no call that can take it away from you."

I still believe in that sentiment. Did the Chargers get screwed on that call? Yes. But if they had gone out and dominated that game and won it before the waning minutes of the fourth quarter, one bad call wouldn't have made any difference. The Chargers blew the game and have only their on-field performance to blame.

He's nothing if not consistant

Consistently an asshole. Only Belechick, given the opportunity to inure sympathy even from his biggest detractors, maintains his arrogant asshole attitude (alliteration!) by not releasing the details of Tom Brady's injury.

Does Belechick need sympathy? Not personally, no, nor does he deserve it. But one year after a massive cheating scandal and a horrible collapse to a Giant underdog (pun intended) in the Superbowl, the Patriots organization could use a little good PR.

In building the closest thing to an NFL dynasty since the Cowboy's-Aikman run, the Patriots, despite their Americana nickname, have not become the new version of America's Team.

You don't see fans in other regions across the country wearing Patriots merchandise the way you did with the Cowboys and before them the "other dynasty teams" the Giants, Steelers and Raiders.

In fact, the Patriots have earned a bullseye on their backs, thoughtlessly placed there by their own Machiavellian leader. (For anyone who doesn't know what "Machiavellian" means, just substitute the word, "douchecanoe.")

This is where truly great coaches, like Parcells and Madden, realized that the game - and the team - are much bigger than any one person.

And it's only the first week

This part of RallyCap is pissed off. I mean really PISSED OFF.

Wanna know why? Cause I spent my f-ing weekend (Friday included) passing a #%#%%%^ kidney stone. When I wasn’t passing it, I was puking. When I wasn’t puking I was walking the pain off. Hell, I even tried rubbing dirt on it. Didn’t work. It still hurt. (Ok, it wasn't as bad as this guy, but damn!).

So today is the wrong day to get this part of RC rolling.

Then I watch some of the NFL action on Sunday (kudos to me for going with NE in the suicide pool) and have to listen to the crap on Monday about the NFL being weaker because little Tommy Brady got hurt. Pussies!

No, not Brady, I’m talking to those of you who think the league is diminished because he’s not playing any more. You’re probably New England fans who think it’s your birthright to win championships. Well wake the hell up! Other people want what you have (or had . . . when was the last time you won again, oh yeah, 2004 . . .).

Is the league any more diminished that Montana, Staubach, Rice, Starr, Unitas, Brown, Simpson, Butkus, Taylor, Upshaw (maybe an argument here), Biletnikoff, Nagurski, Page, Shell, etc. aren’t playing. No. So shut the hell up. Or better yet, get your hands on a copy of North Dallas Forty and try to learn something. Not a better movie exists showing you how the real world of professional sports (circa 1979) works.

I don’t think the league is diminished at all. I think Brady’s getting hurt is just a continuation of the conspiracy that gave the Super Bowl to the NY Giants! That’s what I think.

Where's the Love, Drew?

On the eve of the opening game of the 2008 NFL season, super agent and douchecanoe Drew Rosenhaus decided that the Eagles training camp and run up to Sunday's opener against the Rams was just too quiet. So the douchebag, um windbag, bloviates about how much better his new client -- Lito Sheppard -- is than the other two cornerbacks on the team, Asante Samuel and Sheldon Brown. Sheppard is listed as No. 2 on the depth chart, behind starter Brown on the right corner.

So Rosenhaus decides to issue a statement about how the team hasn't renewed Sheppard's contract. It's a replay of what Rosenhaus did with T.O. in 2005. The end result was a waste of a season for all involved.

Will history repeat itself? Time will tell. But don't be surprised if Rosenhaus goes missing until after the Super Bowl. Last known whereabouts, the Philadelphia region.

Note to Drew: this is NOT how you build support for your cause.

Two video links: the first with his recent comments about Sheppard -- http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fevz4-1OS4s

The second from 2005, the infamous "Next question" interview. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=41rdU-3fiMA&feature=related

You're a class act, Rosenhaus.