Conference Championships

Wow, what a great slate of games last weekend! We can only look forward to more action this weekend as the conference championships have a tendency to be a lot more exciting sometimes than the Super Bowl, so off we go:

San Diego @ New England: San Diego pulled off the shocker and beat the Colts at home last weekend, and they did it with their back-up QB and no LT most of the game. Shaun Phillips and Shawne Merriman are absolute beasts on defense and will constantly bring the pressure to Brady on Sunday. They have one of the best CB in the league in Antonio Cromartie and anytime he gets his hands on the ball he can take it to the house. But last weekend Jacksonville executed a picture-perfect game plan on defense against the Pats and all Brady did was go 26-28 for 261 yds. Hard to beat a team when they execute the way New England did last weekend. They are expected to win this game and THEY expect to win this game. The weather shouldn't be a big factor on Sunday as temperatures are expected to be around 25 degrees with some snow flurries but we shall see how the warm-weather Chargers can adapt. A lot points are on the board here so I'm going to go with the underdog in this one. San Diego +13 1/2.

NY Giants @ Green Bay: What else can you say about the Packers? After falling behind 14-0 in the first five minutes of the game due to two Ryan Grant fumbles, the Pack never lost their composure and came back to outscore the Seahawks 42-6 for the rest of the game. Ryan Grant more than redeemed himself with a 201 yd., 3 TD performance. The Packers have all the weapons on offense. Donald Driver is playing his usual, tough physical over-the-middle game and standout WR Greg Jennings have given Favre the deep threat that the Packers have been missing the last few years. Not to mention Grant has established himself as a legitimate running threat. But Green Bay's defense is underrated. Aaron Kampman has had a spectacular year, Linebacker A.J. Hawk is starting to come into his own and the Packer DB's, in particular Al Harris and Atari Bigby are among the hardest-hitting backs in the league. The Giants pulled off the upset of Dallas at home last week and they are playing their best football of the year. Eli Manning is starting to show signs of poise and maturity as a leader and RB Brandon Jacobs will be a load and a half for Green Bay all day. WRs Plaxico Burress and Amani Toomer have stepped up their game in the later part of the season. The forecast for Green Bay is calling for snow on Friday and a high temperature on Sunday of 5 degrees. The cold will probably not affect the Giants like it might some other teams. But the Packers are too tough, too strong and they want that trip to the Super Bowl. I'm taking Green Bay -7.

Good luck and enjoy the games!!

NFL Predictions: Week 17

Happy Holidays to all!! Hope everyone had a great Christmas and I hope that everyone has a very joyful and prosperous New Year!! The regular season winds down this week but some important games will be played so here we go:

New England @ NY Giants: The Patriots go for history on Saturday night as they try to become the first NFL team to go 16-0 in the regular season. Giants coach Tom Coughlin has been mum this week on how much his starters would play in an otherwise-meaningless game for the Giants. Coughlin is in a no-win situation here and he would be crucified by Giant fans and the media if he were to have a key starter injured in this game. If the Pats get up early, look for the quick hook for the Giant starters. New England -13 1/2.

Dallas @ Washington: Dallas is playing for nothing and Washington is playing for their playoff hopes. Dallas has nothing to gain and lots to lose. Washington +9.

Jacksonville @ Houston: The Jags will need to get it geared up for the playoffs. QB David Garrard has carried this team so far and along with Fred Taylor they will continue the trend of solid offensive football and will let their defense do the dirty work. Jacksonville +6.

Pittsburgh @ Baltimore: The Ravens hellish season finally comes to a close and probably the last game that Brian Billick will coach for Baltimore. Pittsburgh -3 1/2.

Detroit @ Green Bay: Green Bay has nothing to play for but some much-needed momentum heading to the playoffs and they need to get that bad taste out of their mouths after the thumping last week by the Bears. Green Bay -4.

Tennessee @ Indianapolis: A must-win game for Tennessee but I still think the Colts have too much fire-power for the Titans. Indianapolis +6.

Good luck, enjoy the games and let's get ready for the playoffs!!

NFL Predictions: Week 14

Some very good games last week and we can only hope for the same this week, so let's get going with this weeks picks:

Chicago @ Washington: The Redskins are coming off a very tough loss to Buffalo on Sunday not to mention trying to deal and copy with the Sean Taylor situation. The Bear MUST win this week to have any chance at all of sneaking into the playoffs and as I have said for two seasons now, they can't win a big game with Rex Grossman at QB. I look for the Redskins to rebound with an inspired performance. Washington -3.

Dallas @ Detroit: Detroit is another team in really a must-win situation. They are struggling to stay ahead of the competition to gain a wildcard spot and this really isn't the game to have to try and do that with. Detroit has been very inconsistent this year and Dallas has been......well.........they have been the best team in the NFC so far this season, as much as it pains me to say that. Dallas -10 1/2.

NY Giants @ Philadelphia: Another game with huge playoff implications and a nasty division rivalry game. The Giants showed me something last weekend with that come-from-behind victory over the Bears. I think that that game might have been a turning point for them, they had a chance to fold like they did last year and didn't. McNabb may be back for the Eagles, but I don't think it really matters. Too much Giant defense. NY Giants +3.

Oakland @ Green Bay: This game scares me a little because the Raiders have showed some life the last few weeks and this is exactly the type of game that you've seen my man Brett throw 5 INT in before. That being said, I think the Packers push towards the playoffs with a big home win. Green Bay -10.

Pittsburgh @ New England: Not a lot of people are giving the Steelers much of a chance against the Pats but remember this: The last two games Brady and the offense have struggled against tough, agressive defenses and there is none tougher or more physical that Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh +10.

San Diego @ Tennessee: San Diego has sprung to life, now can they do it two games in a row. Tennessee has struggled but did pick up a win against Houston last week and need this game to stay in the wildcard hunt in the AFC. I think LT does his magic and the Charger defense keeps Vince Young bottled up. San Diego Pk.

Indianapolis @ Baltimore: The Ravens are 4-8 and will not make the playoffs. They lost a heartbreaker on Monday night to the Pats in a game marred by controversy. They've lost Steve McNair for the rest of the season and their head coach is 96% gone after the season. So what do they really have to play for? I don't think they have the leadership to recover from that devastating loss. Colts -9.

New Orleans @ Atlanta: Probably looked like a great game when the schedule game out. Now Atlanta is just trying to end the season with some positives and New Orleans must win out pretty much to have any shot at making the playoffs. I like New Orleans to pick apart the Falcons secondary in this one. New Orleans -4.

The college bowl season will begin on Dec. 20 and before that date I will have a very special Bowl Selection post where you can get the best info available on the bowl games and their outcomes. Stay tuned for that!! Good luck and enjoy the games.

The Rules of the Game

Does anybody follow the rules any more? Can anyone participate in a competitive activity without trying to find an advantage that violates the rules? Is this even possible

Consider the following:

--NFL Spygate: Bill Belichik is fined a record amount by the NFL after it is discovered that he was illegally taping the NY Jets defense from the sidelines during a game. Like Bill, did you really need to do that to beat the Jets?

--Steroids: Every major sport is under scrutiny for its players using illegal substances, particularly of the anabolic variety. Almost makes you wish for the good old days when they would just a joint or two and then go play the games.

--NBA referee scandal: Whenever and whatever all the facts come to light, this is another black eye for the Nothing But Assclowns league. People for years have accused the NBA of manipulating games to get the "best", translated biggest TV markets, into the later stages of the playoffs and this isn't going to cause that argument to die anytime soon.

--The Tour de France: Yeah, they ride bikes and yes it's in France (two strikes) but the fact that an American, Floyd Landis, was stripped of the title for blood doping is just another example of the cheating boom.

--Remember a few years ago when the Little League coached phonied up a birth certificate so a 15 yr. old kid could pitch in the 12 yr. old championships? Is nothing sacred?

These are only a few examples. What the hell is going on? Yes the athletes involved ultimately are making the choice as to whether or not to cheat and must be held accountable thus. However, the problem runs much, much deeper.

We live in a "win at all cost" world. Watch TV and watch the advertising. If you don't drive this car, you're a loser, You get the chicks, the money, the glory. As I always liked to say, "Girls, guns and glory". Cheating is not only overlooked, but in many circles encouraged. The media and fans are huge participants in this plague. Win and win right now. No five year building program, no bringing guys up through the system. Go out, sign some big name free agents, pay them whatever it takes. Just win, baby. Oh, and if you have to cheat, just don't get caught. Because after all, if you don't get caught, it's really not cheating.......right? Right?

Coaches are perhaps the true victims of player cheating. On one hand, most of them don't want it on their team. On the other hand, they also don't want to know about it. In our society, coaches are not hired or keep their jobs because of their honestly and integrity, they are hired to win. Nick Saban at Alabama, perfect example. No loyalty, no integrity. He suspended a player from this past weekend's game but when Alabama was losing at halftime he suddenly inserted the player back into the lineup in the second half to "give a spark" to his offense. When asked about it after the game his comment was typical coach speak, "It was what it was". Yeah, well I know bull shit when I see it. Nick isn't interested in building character, rewarding those who follow the rules, building a team unit, Nick is interested in winning because he knows at $4 million dollars a year, he better win.

Guys like Lloyd Carr at Michigan, Joe Torre, now of the Dodgers, Jim Leyland, Tony LaRussa, Bill Cower, Joe Paterno..........The world of sports needs more people like these classy and extremely talented guys. Guys that know how to win and how to do it right. So media and fans, time to pick sides. Do you want to be right, or do you want to do it right?

Monday Morning Coffee: 11/19/07

I'm going to make this a regular feature on the blog. Hopefully it will give something to do while you begin dreading the week and are trying to suck down that first cup of joe, or Pepsi, or whatever your particular early morning vice is. I can't even begin to start the day myself without some very stiff coffee and a cigarette, so here we go:

--Okay, okay I give. The Patriots are THE most dominating team that I have ever seen in pro football. They are not just winning games, they are simply destroying other teams. And before anybody else says it, they were trailing the Colts on the road and came back to win that game. They are simply unstoppable at this point. Maybe an indictment or two could slow them down.

--Congrats to Jimmie Johnson for winning his second consecutive Nextel Cup. Just watching Jeff Gordon NOT win was good enough for me. I hate that guy.

--Green Bay and Dallas just keep winning and winning, setting up a huge game on November 29 that will more than likely be for home field advantage come playoff time. Yes, Romo and Owens look better each week it seems, but for those that thought that Brett had lost a step or some zip off his fastball, don't you feel stupid now.

--The Colts managed to eek, and I mean eek out a win over the Chiefs on Sunday. They have got to get some people healthy or they are going to have a short playoff run this year.

--Pittsburgh's Mr. Hyde came out this week. How in the hell do you go and lose to the Jets? The Jets, for Christ sake. I still say they will be there come playoff time but consistency has to be an issue for this team and Coach Mike Tomlin right now.

--The Rams won their second straight game. I only mention this for my friend Slydawg and for the fact that if the Rams keep winning and can finish the season with 5 or 6 wins, Linahan just might keep his job for another year.

--Think Ricky Williams will help the 0-10 Dolphins? Well, I've got a great deal for you..........

And last but not least, the winner of this weeks What The Hell Are You Doing Award:
Jody Powell, 35, hung on to a 12-foot statue of "Hannah Montana" for the better part of six days to win tickets to a sold-out concert by Miley Cyrus, star of the Disney Channel TV show. The concert will be held next week in Tampa. Personally, I can think of a lot better things to do in Tampa.

Have a Good Week and remember: Don't Hunt What You Can't Kill!!

Blazing The Trail

Say the name Andy Messersmith and you will for the most part get some blank stares your way. The name has some sort of familiar ring to a few but most will say, "Who?". What most people don't realize is that in many, many ways, Andy Messersmith is responsible for the modern structure of sports teams today and all the athletes making millions and millions of dollars have Andy Messersmith to thank.

Messersmith played major league baseball from 1968-1979. He played for the California Angels, LA Dodgers, Atlanta Braves and the NY Yankees. He had a lifetime ERA of 2.86, had four All-Star appearances and appeared in the 1974 NLCS and the World Series. A decent career but nothing spectacular. It was what he did off the field that made history. Before 1975 baseball operated under what was then known as the reserve clause. It meant that even though a player had completed his contract to a particular team, the team still owned the rights to that player. The player could negotiate a contract with his current team or asked to be released but could not negotiate with another team. It was, in the purest sense of the word, slavery. When Curt Flood of the St. Louis Cardinals was traded to the Philadelphia Phillies in 1969, flood challenged the reserve clause section of his contract. He lost the case and ruined what had been an outstanding career.

After the 1974 season, Messersmith went to negotiate his contract with then Dodgers GM Al Campanis. Messersmith asked that a no-trade clause be inserted into his contract and Campanis and the Dodgers refused. The negotiations became so acrimonious that Messersmith finally refused to deal with Campanis and said he would only negotiate with Dodgers team president Walter O'Malley. Messersmith ended up pitching the 1975 season without a contract. He led the league in complete games, shutouts and finished second in ERA while also winning his second Gold Glove. Messersmith filed a grievance with the support of player's union president Marvin Miller against MLB, asking for the reserve clause to be eliminated from his contract. Arbitrator Peter Seitz agreed with Messersmith and Messersmith signed a three year deal with the Atlanta Braves for $1,000,000. Ironically, the arbitrator Seitz, who had been hired by the owners to arbitrate for them, was fired the day after the ruling. The rest of Messersmith's career was marred by injuries. He resigned with the Dodgers in 1979 and retired after he was released.

After the Seitz decision, the other major sports in the U.S. followed suit, albeit more slowly. Players were able to become free agents, negotiate with other teams, negotiate opt outs, options, no-trade clauses and the like. No longer were players the indentured property of the owners of their teams. They were free to test the waters and to try and both professionally and financially better themselves. After the Seitz decision came down Messersmith said:

"I did it for the guys sitting on the bench, the utility men who couldn't crack the lineup with (the Dodgers) but who could make it elsewhere. These guys should have an opportunity to make a move and go to another club. I didn't do it necessarily for myself because I'm making a lot of money. I don't want everyone to think, 'Well, here's a guy in involuntary servitude at $115,000 a year. That's a lot of bull and I know it"

There are people who will say that free agency has ruined professional sports, that athletes make too much money, that there is no loyalty in sports, players jump from team to team, etc. But make no mistake, sports have always been and will continue to always be a business, and in business the bottom line is making money. Slavery was abolished in this country in 1865. It only baseball another 110 years to catch up.

NFL Week 10 Predictions

I write a column on a couple of forums regarding each week's NFL games. I thought I should bring this out to the blog and share it with everyone. Get you pencils and papers ready to take notes, here we go:

Buffalo @ Miami: Buffalo is playing some good football right now. Rookie RB Marshawn Lynch is showing his stuff and the Bills' defense is playing well. Miami is.......uh.......ok that just plain suck right now. First year coach Cam Cameron's NFL debut has been a bust and rumors abound about Jason Taylor and Zach Thomas leaving town in the off-season. Take Buffalo -3.

Cleveland @ Pittsburgh: First year coach Mike Timlin of the Steelers is pushing all the right buttons and endearing himself to the Pittsburgh fans. Being only the third head coach of the Steelers since 1969 is a tough job and big shoes to fill. If he wants to stay on top of the mountain, he has to beat the hated Browns. Cleveland is definitely one of the surprises in the league this year and QB Derek Anderson may keep Brady Quinn on the sideline for a while. Pittsburgh will win the game, but it will be a battle and a close one. Take Cleveland +9.

Philadelphia @ Washington: Coach Andy Reid's off-field situation and the inconsistent play of QB Donovan McNabb have Philly fans calling for both their heads. What happens in the last weeks of this season will determine, in my mind, what will happen to both Reid and McNabb in the off-season. Washington just keeps finding ways to win and you know that a big division rivalry game like this brings out Joe Gibbs' best. Take Washington -3.

Minnesota @ Green Bay: A great divisional matchup. Minnesota is coming off the trouncing of San Diego and AP is the real deal......maybe. Lambeau Field, probably cool if not cold temperatures and Brett Favre. The Packers are playing not only inspired football, but good football. Take Green Bay -5 1/2.

Dallas @ NY Giants: Best game of the weekend. Dallas' high-power offense against the Giants' unrelenting defense. I think the keys to this game though lie in Eli Manning's ability to exploit the soft spots in Dallas' secondary and utilize WR Plaxico Burress and TE Jeremy Shockey. Take the Giants +1 1/2.

Indianapolis @ San Diego: No hangover for the Colts after the tough loss against New England. The Colts are a veteran championship team and they will bounce back and unfortunately for SD, they are going to be the recepients of that payback. Take the Colts -3.

San Francisco @ Seattle: Wow, what a stinker for Monday night. The best of the worst division in football. Oh well, WWE is on. Take San Francisco +10.

Good luck and enjoy the games!!!

Mamas Don't Let Your Babies Grow Up to Be Cowboys

I've grown up and lived most of my life here in central Missouri. The farmer is still a big part of our culture here and so are rodeos. Now, I will be the first to admit that I wasn't much of a cowboy at one time. I had been to a couple of rodeos and knew a little bit about the sport but didn't really understand everything that went into it. My wife really got me interested in rodeoing. She grew up on a farm, had been around livestock her whole life and had traveled the rodeo circuit somewhat and knew quite a bit about it. As I started to attend more rodeos, I became addicted to the thrill and rush of what these guys do. I got to help unload a truck full of bucking bulls at one particular rodeo and got to see these beasts up close and personal. If you don't know much about the sport of rodeo let me tell you a couple of things.

These guys are athletes, and damn tough ones at that. Check out the videos here on the blog. Football players are tough, hockey players are tough, MMA athletes are tough, but these guys are a special, sick kind of tough. Bull riders are an especially different breed. These guys climb onto a two thousand pound animal that can stomp your head into mush, and then try to stay on for 8 seconds. The worst thing that can happen is that you get thrown off and stomped. The best thing that can happen is that you stay on for the 8 seconds, and then get thrown off and stomped. These guys suffer broken bones, concussions, seperated shoulders, cuts, abrasions, bruises......you get the picture. Steer wrestling is another one of my favorites. You ride a horse out of a chute chasing a steer. You then dive off of your horse onto the steer and wrestle it to the ground. Sounds easy. Try it sometime. The timing and skill that it takes to pull this off is something to watch and the power that these guys display is amazing. You think taking on a 330 lb. defensive lineman is tough, try taking on a pissed-off steer with horns.

All of the events in a true rodeo, calf roping, team roping, barrell racing, sadle bronc and bareback bronc riding are all great events and each takes a special skill. But the king of the rodeo is bull riding. They have become the rock stars of rodeo. Justin McBride is the equivilent of Tom Brady in the world of rodeo. These guys are starting to make some serious money and the sport is really growing and drawing new fans all the time.

Now a lot of you are going to read this and say to yourself, "Rodeos are for beer drinking, Skoal chewing rednecks from the South. It's not a real sport". Well, if you are that person, you are dead wrong. It is a real sport. Not everyone who enjoys rodeo is a redneck but those of us who are accept that label with a special pride. We wear out Stetson hats and boots. We wear big belt buckles with horses, bulls, stars and flags on them. We do like an occassional beer and a little whiskey to chase it down with. Tobacco is usually present in one form or another. But make no mistake about it. These guys are some of, if not THE, toughest athletes going today. Go to your local bar or club and jump on a mechanical bull and have someone who knows how to run the thing give you a ride at about 7 or 8, which is still less that what you would get on a world class bull. See if you can make the 8 seconds. Remember the machine is not going to come looking to stick a horn in your ass when its done. And then come back read this again and see if you too have some new found respect for the greatest athletes around, The Cowboy.

O.J. Simpson

Once again, O.J is in the news. This time he is accused of taking part in an armed robbery in an attempt to retrieve sports memorabilia that he says was stolen from him. He could get up to 30 years of prison time for his part in this latest escapade if convicted. The irony of here is so thick I need not even explain it. O.J. was the original jock-turned sportscaster golden boy. He had everything. He won the Heisman Trophy is senior year at USC, was the first pick in the draft and went on to have a Hall of Fame career with the Buffalo Bills and San Francisco 49'ers. He was the first player to every rush for over 2000 yds. in a season, and he put up all those impressive numbers playing on some pretty bad teams. Anyone else remember the Hertz commercials with O.J. hurdling through the airport trying to get to his rental car? He had a cushy job doing football analysis, he had it all. That is, until 1994.

Everyone knows the story of the "Trial of the Century" and the outcome. But what happened after the trial is where this tale of caution took an ugly turn. Simpson put himself above justice and above the law. He even had the audacity of write a book "If I Did It", in which he told a supposedly fictional account of how he would have killed his wife and her friend Ron Goldman, had he actually done it. Right!! He sold his home in California, moved to Miami, vacations in Cabo San Lucas, plays golf and lives a pretty good life, even though he claims poverty and has yet to pay any substantial portion of the 33.5 million dollar wrongful death claim judgement that was issued against him following his acquittal on murder charges. He has sold many of his awards and trophies, including his Heisman Trophy, and can even still occassionally get someone to pay him upwards of $20,000 to come and sign autographs for a weekend. Now he may actually go to jail for alledgedly trying to steal back his own stuff. Funny how things work out sometimes.

Star power has a long half-life. The ability of people to forgive and forget is never more evident than when it comes to celebrities, especially athletes. We tend to forgive them and reinstate their iconic status not for what they are but for what they once were. Simpson has longed played this card, putting himself above the law and flaunting his star power and the perceived "prejudice" against him. When asked during this recent arrest why he didn't call the police, he stated that he doesn't have much faith in the police because whenever it involves him, "it just becomes another O.J. story". Hey O.J., here's a heads up. Nobody really cares about you anymore. The guy that won the Heisman, the first player to every rush for 2000 yds., the guy that gave us all those thrills, he died a long time ago. All we are left with is a sad parody of a man too stubborn to change, too stupid to care and now one that may finally earn the title that he most richly deserves: felon.

When Enough is enough

We've all heard that old saying that "No news is good news" and in Micheal Vick's case, boy is that ever true. For anyone that has been living in a cave, here's the story: Vick was indicted and plead guilty to funding a dog fighting organization on some property that he owns in Virginia. He will be sentenced in December and could get up to five years in prison. He has also now been charged on state charges for the same offense and could get additional time in a state penitentiary. He was suspended by the NFL indefinitely, lost all of his endorsement deals worth several million dollars a year, has been sued by two different banks for about 5 million dollars because he has lost his job, his now on house arrest because he violated the terms of his bail by failing and drug test and this week was ordered by an arbitrator to repay almost $20 million back to the Atlanta Falcons that was paid to him as a signing bonus. There are now some reports out of Washington that the Feds are considering going after some of Vick's "assets" such as property by trying to link them to the dogfighting ring and stating that they were the proceeds of criminal activity. And you thought you were having a bad month or two!!! What makes some of this laughable is what makes anyone think that Vick even has $20 million to pay back? His legal bills are already estimated to be over the $2 million mark and with the state trial looming, those are only going to grow. He is not receiving a paycheck from the NFL and all of his endorsement money is gone, probably forever. Many of us worry about ever being able to retire and at this rate, Vick is going to have to try and play football until he is 60 in order to pay this money back, that is if anyone will ever have him back. Vick has certainly created these problem for himself. The downturn started last year with the flipping off of the crowd after a loss, the water bottle incident at the Miami airport and the public perception of Vick being just another athlete/thug with too much money and not enough principle. All the more shame because Vick was actually one of the pretty good guys in the NFL. He has donated substantial monies to his alma mater, Virginia Tech, to improve their athletic facilities and athletic programs. He had been very active in the Atlanta community with charitable organizations and from all reports, was one of several NFL players that would visit children's hospitals during away games to chat with kids and sign autographs. But to many people, none of that matters right now, and that's the real tragedy of all this. There are several groups out there that have tried to turn this into a black vs. white issue, which has hurt Vick immensely. This isn't about color, it's about poor choices but it is also about our ability as both a nation and as human beings to forgive and move on. Jamal Lewis, Leonard Little, Ray Lewis, Ron Artest, Allan Iverson, Tank Johnson and the list goes on are some of Vick's criminal predecessors that received FAR less punishment for far worse crimes. I have said it before and I shall say it again: Vick didn't take a human life, he didn't sell drugs to kids, he didn't shoot up a school, he didn't take the life savings of hundreds of thousands of people, he didn't even create a fake war to achieve his own ends. He made some poor decisions and now he must pay for them. My question is, how big are the payments and when do they end?

Plight of Andy Reid

Andy Reid is the most successful head coach in the long and storied history of the Philadelphia Eagles. He has a career winning percentage of .621. He won four division titles and four trips to the NFC championship game from 2001-2004. He has won more playoff games (7) game any other coach in their history. He's part of the Bill Walsh coaching tree of success. And from all accounts, he's a good guy. He may also be unemployed at the end of the season. Reid managed to get the Eagles to four straight NFC championship games, only to lose to the Rams, Tampa Bay and Carolina. When they finally managed to break through and make it to the Big Dance, they lost on a memorable last second field goal by Adam "Mr. Clutch" Vinateri. Since that time, Reid has had to deal with the T.O. fiasco, the loss and subsequent questioning of his biggest star, QB Donovan McNabb and whether or not he's the guy to lead this team. McNabb hasn't finished the season the last 3 out of 5 years and his toughness and heart are constantly under scrutiny and now folks are questioning whether or not he will ever be the same QB as he was before. This year's team has suffered more than its fair share of injuries and along with all this, Reid has had to deal with the very public legal problems of his two sons, Garret and Britt. Both of the Reid boys are now back in jail once again on a variety of charges ranging from drug and weapons charges to hit and run and a probation violation for failing a drug test. This is every parent's worse nightmare, watching your children on a path of self-destruction. It's even worse when it is played out in the media. While New York may be considered the toughest media market to deal with, Philadelphia has its own special brand of cruelty that is unrivaled anywhere else. Philadelphia fans and media are notoriously rude, vulgar and downright nasty when it comes to their sports teams and since they haven't had a lot to cheer the last few years in any sport, they take it out on the players, coaches and owners. The fact the Reid has been able to sustain all this with an unblieveable amount of decorum and dignity shows the kind of man he is. There are those in the City of Brotherly Love that are calling for Reid's resignation, saying that he's not focused on winning this year and needs to step away from the game. No one outside of Philly would blame him for taking off and dealing with these situations. The Eagles are 3-4 right now and unless they go on a roll, they are probably not looking at a shot in the playoffs this year. Dallas is coming to town this weekend and with their decimated secondary, it could get ugly. But I'm going to be rooting for the Eagles this weekend. I'd like to see them run the table, make it in the playoffs, even to the Superbowl if they can. Not because I love Philadelphia, I'm an Andy Reid fan.