Football

What the hell is going on with the Eagles? If they're not careful, they're going to out-play-opponents-and-lose themselves out of a wild card.

I know an old man that doesn't like Michael Vick because his value cannot be ascertained via traditional means. He runs for two and throws for one touchdown more often than the other way around. He's lucky to complete half of his passes, creating big plays more often than not with awe inspiring athleticism instead. I've been telling the old man, "but he wins.....and he's so much fun to watch." Maybe a few more performances like last night will change the minds of all doubters. Vick THREW for 4 touchdowns in a shootout against the defending Superbowl Champions yesterday en route to an overtime victory.

How about that Notre Dame game?! It seems the UCLA defense is as good as billed. Skeptics pointed out their skimpy PAC 10 schedule to rationalize their [statistically] 10th ranked defense. That game was only the third time in the history of Notre Dame football that the Irish won a game on a touchdown inside the final minute. The first, in 1979, was before my time. The second, in 1993, I remember vividly; against Penn State in South Bend. With no time left, Rick Mirer threw a touchdown pass to Jerome Bettis. Down by 1, Holtz boldly went for two. Amidst the falling snow, Mirer was flushed from the pocket and with his momentum pulling him away from oncoming defenders and towards the sideline, he threw a desperate pass to a diving Reggie Brooks in the back of the end zone....And the crowd roared. Yesterday's heroics will likely stick in a similar manner.

I was engaged in a brief debate during the game on Saturday regarding the possibility Jeff Semardzdja eventually having to choose between playing professional baseball and football. My buddies, with whom I disagreed, made their argument in favor of baseball on the basis of longer careers, more money, and being able to walk at 50 (as opposed to someone like John Elway, for example, who supposedly needs help getting out of bed in the morning).

My stance comes primarily from my preferring football over baseball, however, I feel it is very defensable. I countered with the instant payday. How often do "can't miss" baseball prospects get buried in the minors and never even make it to the show? Pretty often, right? I mean, even if he were lucky enough to have been taken in the first round (he was taken in the fifth because scouts see his desire to play professional football as a negative), you only really get the wow payday after emerging from the minors and proving yourself at the major league level; and this is never a guarantee. By comparison, he's a projected late first/early second round wide receiver....which translates to big (not huge) money right off the bat, albeit with a shorter career ahead, but with the opportunity to play on the big stage from day 1. Also, as a wide receiver, his body wouldn't take the beating of a quarterback or runningback so I don't see how the Elway argument is even relevant.

With that in mind, my official advice to Semardzdja would be to play them both.... and to make a choice between the two only when it becomes necessary or if he ever wants to. If he "makes it" in both sports, even if only for a season or two, he'll be mentioned in the same breathe as Bo Jackson, Deion Sanders, Brian Jordan...... a short list for very obvious reasons.


GIIIIAAAAANNNNNTTTTSSSSSS!!!!!! If the Giants win tonight, they take first place in the NFC East I believe.