Where were you when...

Tonight, Giants Stadium will be host to the most important football game in recent memory. It will be broadcast on four stations in the New York and New England areas, and three stations throughout the rest of the country. To put that into perspective, the Super Bowl is only broadcast on one channel throughout America. This will be the game of a lifetime, one where ten years from now, people will ask “Where were you when the Patriots went for 16-0?”

It seems only fitting that the Patriots go for perfection in the shadow of the most important city in the world, in front of the biggest media market there is, and in front of the best sports fans in all of America. The records that can be set were previously thought untouchable. Tom Brady can break Peyton Manning’s single-season touchdown passing record of 48 with two more. Randy Moss can pass Jerry Rice as the single-season touchdown receptions leader with two of them tonight, which would surpass the 22 Rice had in 1987, although Rice did that in only 12 games. The Patriots can be the first team to finish the regular season without a loss or tie since the 1972 Dolphins, and the first team ever to finish the regular season 16-0. They can set the single-season points record for a team with their first touchdown. They can set the record for largest point differential in one season as long as they don’t lose by 21. They can break their own record for longest regular-season winning streak, as this would be their 19^th consecutive victory.

But wouldn’t we love to see them lose? As much as we love to see history, isn’t there a desire to watch the Patriots, Bill Belichick’s Patriots, and their perfect season go down in flames? These are the hated Patriots. Team Perfect. With their perfect quarterback and their perfect coach. They seemed destined for perfection. But you can bet that Tom Coughlin will be doing everything he can to win this game.

You want to know how badly Coughlin wants to win this game? Plaxico Burress actually practiced this week. The starters are talking like it’s the biggest game of their lives. Coughlin hates losing in preseason, so there is no way he rolls over in this one and throws the backups in until the outcome of the game is decided.

And that’s just the way it should be.

A game of this magnitude shouldn’t be marred with no-name backups taking the snaps and making it an exhibition. No matter what the critics say of Tom Coughlin tomorrow morning, his decision to play his starters will always be fine with me. As football fans we want to see competition; we want to see our favorite players in the game, not sipping Gatorade and chatting about the next week with their fellow starters.

More than anything, we watch for the thrilling finishes; for the excitement a last-minute touchdown can bring; and of course, for history. One way or another, tonight we will witness history. Either the Patriots take another step towards immortality or the Giants do the unthinkable again. Can they call upon the ghosts of 1998? Will Jimmy Hoffa be up to his old tricks at the Meadowlands? As fans of Big Blue, we sure do.

Coming Down the Stretch in the NFL

In a season that has been unspectacular at best, we come to the last three weeks of the NFL regular season with some playoff spots up for grabs. While some teams have had playoff spots wrapped up since April, there are still some playoff spots up for grabs, and a division race that is still ripe for the taking. We have known that the Patriots and Colts were playoff bound months before the season started, and that has showed with their play throughout the season as they are the top two teams in the NFL. However, it has also been full of surprises, as teams like the Cleveland Browns, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, Buffalo Bills, and Minnesota Vikings are all in the playoff hunt. However, not everyone can make the playoffs, so we take a look as to who is going to be playing come January and who will be left at home watching.

AFC

Currently:

1. New England Patriots (13-0)
2. Indianapolis Colts (11-2)
3. Pittsburgh Steelers (9-4)
4. San Diego Chargers (8-5)
5. Jacksonville Jaguars (9-4)
6. Cleveland Browns (8-5)
- Buffalo Bills (7-6)
- Tennessee Titans (7-6)
- Houston Texans (7-7)

It’s a foregone conclusion that the Patriots and Colts will finish 1-2 in the AFC, and it seems like a lock that the Chargers will win the AFC West and one of the next two spots in the conference. The AFC North, however, is surprisingly up for grabs. Pittsburgh has not played well as of late, and the Browns are now only a game behind them. However, Cleveland lost both of their games to the Steelers this season, so we can expect that Pittsburgh will beat at least St. Louis and Baltimore to wrap up their division, although they will have a tough time against the Jaguars this weekend. The Jags currently sit in the 5 slot in the AFC, and should wrap that up when they finish the season with the Raiders and Texans.

That brings us to the final spot, where four teams are battling it out. Cleveland has been the darlings of the NFL all season long, bouncing back from a 4-12 season last year with a no-name quarterback, an aging running back, and a core group of young receivers helping to overcome their porous defense. They score almost 28 points a game, good for 5^th in the NFL behind New England, Dallas, Indianapolis, and Green Bay. Buffalo, on the other hand, has guided itself through the season without a true identity on offense, managing only 17 points per game. However, they have found ways to win games, which is vital in the NFL. Next we see Tennessee, who was once 6-2 and going into a huge game against Jacksonville. Since, they have lost 4 of their last 5 and have plummeted out of the playoff picture. Their defense has been atrocious as of late, although the return of Albert Haynesworth should help them down the stretch. They should get a win against a fading Chiefs team who has lost 5 straight before going up against the Jets and the Colts. This takes us to the long-shot Texans, who just came off a Thursday night win against the Broncos, keeping their slim hops alive. However, they finish the year against the Colts and Jaguars, which should prove to be too much for a team that may be a year away from a playoff spot.

So how will the AFC finish? I believe the Jaguars will actually beat the Steelers this weekend, solidifying the 5^th slot for them while making the AFC North an interesting race, however I believe the Steelers will win their last two to barely wrap up a division title. Cleveland will beat the Bills this weekend, and should win their last two against Cincinnati and San Francisco to wrap up the 6^th spot.

Prediction:
1. New England (16-0)
2. Indianapolis (14-2)
3. Pittsburgh (11-5)
4. San Diego (11-5)
5. Jacksonville (12-4)
6. Cleveland (11-5)

NFC
Currently:
1. Dallas Cowboys (12-1)
2. Green Bay Packers (11-2)
3. Seattle Seahawks (9-4)
4. Tampa Bay Buccaneers (8-5)
5. New York Giants (9-4)
6. Minnesota Vikings (7-6)
- New Orleans Saints (6-7)
- Washington Redskins (6-7)
- Detroit Lions (6-7)
- Arizona Cardinals (6-7)

Like the AFC, the top two seeds in the NFC are just about locks to stay there. Also, Seattle has clinched their division, and are now battling Tampa Bay for position. Tampa, while not officially the champions of the NFC South, only need to win one of their final three games to do so, and the return of Jeff Garcia should allow them to do just that. The Giants will clinch a playoff spot with a win this weekend against the Redskins, although they still need to win two games in order to secure the 5^th seed.

The 6^th seed has been a revolving door all season long, with a number of teams battling it out for the final playoff spot. Currently, the white-hot Minnesota Vikings are holding it down with a one game lead and enough momentum to carry every team in the conference. However, they face a fairly tough end to the season with Chicago, Washington, and Denver coming up. Their rushing offense has been absolutely devastating, averaging 172 yards per game with rookie phenom Adrian Peterson and veteran Chester Taylor running behind that incredible offensive line. With Tarvaris Jackson playing much better as of late, and a stout rushing defense that ranks #1 in the NFL, you can bet they have a good chance at winning those three games against rush-heavy offenses. Trying to make up ground is everyone’s preseason NFC Champion New Orleans Saints. While they have the stars on offense, they have been inconsistent all season, and with the loss of Deuce McCallister early in the season and Reggie Bush last week, it seems they have to rely solely on the arm of Drew Brees. While that is not necessarily a bad thing, it is tough to get by on just passing in this league. However, it’s very possible they win their last three games against Arizona, Philadelphia, and Chicago and sneak in to the playoffs, based on their better in conference record compared to Minnesota. The Washington Redskins have had an up and down year, and it’s going to get a lot tougher with the loss of Jason Campbell. Another loss could be devastating to this team, and you figure that would come this weekend at Giants Stadium. However, if it is not against the Giants, it would surely come against either the Vikings or Cowboys, a very tough finish for this team. The Detroit Lions have gone on an incredible skid, losing 5 in a row in almost every way imaginable. Losing Roy Williams on offense is possibly the final blow to a team that has been on the ropes for weeks. Finishing against San Diego, Kansas City, and Green Bay could mean three losses to end the year, and a 6-10 finish to a once-promising season. That brings us to Arizona, the team of potential seemingly every season. They engage in the NFC version of ‘most important game of the week’ tomorrow when they visit New Orleans to see which team keeps their playoff hopes alive. However, Arizona is 2-5 on the road this season, which doesn’t bode well for them.

How will it all finish in the NFC? I see the Saints beating the Cardinals this weekend to move to 7-7 and ending the Cardinals chances at the playoffs. I also believe the Giants beat the Redskins this weekend, and a Lions loss will make it a two team race for the 6^th seed between Minnesota and New Orleans. However, Minnesota’s hot streak will continue and they should handle the offense-less Bears and Redskins before taking on Denver in the finale. New Orleans will have a tough time adjusting to a lackluster running game with no threat on the ground, and a team like Philadelphia could sneak up and beat them with their solid secondary. The Giants should handle the Redskins and also beat the Bills next weekend, which would clinch the 5^th seed for them.

Prediction:
1. Dallas (14-2)
2. Green Bay (14-2)
3. Seattle (12-4)
4. Tampa Bay (11-5)
5. New York Giants (11-5)
6. Minnesota Vikings (10-6)

Mitchell Report Will Change Baseball Forever

Here we are, on the eve of the release of the much-anticipated, long-awaited Mitchell Report, which is the link America finally has to the dark past of the steroid era in Major League Baseball. After 20 months of interviewing, digging, compiling, and researching the hidden past of baseball players over the previous years, George Mitchell is prepared to release information on Thursday that will change lives. The report is believed to contain 60-80 names of both current and former baseball players alleged to have used performance-enhancing drugs, possibly including Barry Bonds, Jose Canseco, Ken Caminiti, Juan Gonzalez, and Mark McGwire. While we may not know who the players are just yet, we can guarantee that this report, much like the Dowd Report on Pete Rose’s gambling in 1989, will change the perception that fans have of baseball, and possibly their favorite players, forever.

Growing up near New York City, I have been surrounded by the best and most knowledgeable baseball fans in the world, those of the New York area. The Yankees and the Mets mean the world to everyone, and those who grew up Brooklyn Dodgers fans still won’t forgive them for deserting them. It seems only fitting that the biggest news in baseball since the 1994 strike will be coming from New York, where baseball history is entrenched. However, this news will rock fans in every corner of the country, from coast to coast, north to south, and everywhere in between.

While we have known for years that steroids was involved in baseball for a number of years, the people that abused them have been kept in secret. However, it is now finally coming out, and it could deal a major blow to baseball and its fans. A young fan who idolizes a figure in baseball could find out their hero is a cheater, and conclude that the game of baseball is full of them as he reads and hears about the Mitchell Report on Thursday and Friday. Some of the stand-up guys in baseball that are respected by their peers and by the media could have their legacies tarnished by having their names mentioned in this report. The big names will be bashed on sports shows all over America, and the very game of baseball will be put in a negative light once again.

The Mitchell Report has the unfortunate opportunity to set baseball back years if it names some of the most revered players in the game. It can fuel debates over whether or not numerous records should be stricken from the record books, including the all-time home run record, currently held by Barry Bonds and being chased by Alex Rodriguez. What will be interesting is seeing how the fans treat the results of this report.

Do they shrug it off as just another group of players who made a poor choice, but entertained us nonetheless?

Or do they rip down their posters, throw out their baseball cards, and swear to never watch baseball again?

Either way, Major League Baseball, its owners, players, managers, and commissioner are about to enter unchartered waters. How will they steer through the darkness that is sure to follow? How will the players be able to handle the added pressure put on them by the fury of questions asked by the media? Heck, how will their once loyal fans view them when their names come out?

We all remember how Barry Bonds was treated during his chase for the all-time home run record. Signs at every park. Loud boos that could be heard from coast to coast. Syringes thrown at him from the stands. The general population of America deciding that he was a cheater and that his ball should go to the Hall of Fame with an asterisk branded on it forever. It is up to the fans how much baseball changes after this report is released. However, it is up to baseball to decide if they will continue to let the past define the future, or if Bud Selig will finally come out and begin accepting some of the responsibility for what happened. Only when those at fault take their rightful blame for the black eye that history has brought the game will baseball be forgiven and truly become America’s game once again.