On Monday, my favorite sports television show, Pardon the Interruption, or PTI, marked its 10 year anniversary. In case you do not DVR it daily, the sports debate show airs daily on ESPN featuring two former Washington Post sports columnists Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon. The show is especially significant to me since I grew up reading columns by these two while eating my breakfast cereal and interned at their studio for a summer, sitting in on tapings. While I consider myself the show’s “first” fan, I think the guest in the clip below might disagree.
Wednesday, October 26, 2011
Tuesday, October 18, 2011
UVA Finishes a Perfect Day with an Upset
For the first time in several seasons I did not purchase UVA season tickets, but chose to come to just a handful of key games. Undefeated #12 Georgia Tech and a sunny fall day seemed like the perfect time for a tailgate as well. While the Yellow Jackets came in touting an option offense that ran all over the Hoos in previous seasons, Virginia had the bye week to prepare for the gimmick. After jumping out to a 14-0 lead, the Cavaliers let the Rambling Wreck back in the game with a missed field goal and pick six. Then Coach London figured out what VT Coach Beamer had enjoyed for years, beating up on an Al Groh coached defense. The Hoos gave the Yellow Jackets and their former coach a taste of their own medicine by running for their highest total in seven seasons, while holding them to their lowest offensive output in 20 games. UVA was even able to run out the last six minutes of the game as students ran out onto the field:
Now that Virginia is 4-2, they are only two wins away from bowl eligibility and luckily have home games coming up against NC State and Duke. Heck, they even received three votes in the AP poll on Sunday, capping a great weekend.
Thursday, October 13, 2011
NFL Teams' Best and Worst Starts Since...
- Detroit is having their best season in 55 years.
- Green Bay has not been 5-0 in 46 years as well.
- Indy, Denver, and Philly have not started this poorly since the late 90's.
- The other feel good stories of the season, 49ers and Raiders, are justified in their press since it has been nine seasons since they've had this good a record through five games.
- Seven teams have the same exact record at this point last year. (The Bucs, Texans, and Giants had playoff aspirations going into this year and have the same record this point last year which they just missed the playoffs. For all the excitement and hope Cam Newton has brought the Panthers, they are 1-4 just like last year.)
- Another seven have the same disappointment or optimism as two seasons ago. (Mediocre Dallas was also at 2-2 two years ago when they made the playoffs.)
- Washington and Buffalo are on top of their divisions, but both had the same great start only three years ago when they each missed the playoffs.
- Half the league's teams were just as good or just as bad at this point within the past three seasons.