Atlanta Falcons Invincible in Dome, Difficult To Beat in Reality

With all due respect to a team with a relatively exalted turnaround, reaching the level of prominence at the Georgia Dome, a venue that endures an engaging consciousness for the realization of the Atlanta Falcons, it's very perceptible gathering an assumption in which Atlanta is truly an understatement in the league.

After this one, the Falcons are deprived of a prospering streak, perhaps the longest winning streak since 1998, capping its third straight winning season.

In such a prolific business, owner Arthur Blank acquired not only the franchise in 2002, but has flourished as the largest owner-funded foundation in the National Football League established to serve the youth, providing grants to nonprofit organizations across the state of Georgia. So there are the Falcons in the finest joyride, reaching a stride with an intimidating offensive scheme led by the weaponry of a discounted Matt Ryan.

For now, however, there is a proper reaction that the epitome of this team is perseverance, conviction and unity as a way to influence kids in the Atlanta Falcons Youth Foundation, brainwashed by the zealous psyche of the talented and poised NFC South competitors.

Endowed with much star power, from the explosive rushing attack of Michael Turner to the masterful passing ability of Ryan, the Falcons have been brilliant as football lords wrongly disregards a 9-2 record.

For those of you who are still doubtful of the miraculous progress, the annulment is overblown badly overshadowing the incredible juncture, having won nine of 10 games within a rigid schedule.

It amazes me when the Falcons are precisely the hottest team in the NFC, if not in all of football, how a stubborn-minded population depreciates the glamour and quality of the relentless Atlanta.

It's as if the Falcons are still erstwhile, and not destructive or potent for the postseason to cement as a vital burden against its opponent. And finally, once it all began in one of the most loudest venues, defensive end John Abraham, the Falcons' sack leader, had recovered from a groin injury he suffered two weeks ago.

Last week, he tried to endure the pain and play, but after workouts hours before kickoff the coaching staff listed him inactive and coach Mike Smith carefully took precautionary actions on seemingly the Falcons' best defensive star.

Now, all this gibberish regarding the Falcons isn't all so true, not if they are the powerful ones of the NFC, amazingly reminding us of the relevancy and titillation of America's popular sport. How good are the Falcons? In truth, this team is under the radar and misunderstood for all their immeasurable weapons, depth and size. How clutch are the Falcons?


With nine seconds left, Matt Bryant booted a 47-yard field goal to give the Falcons a 20-17 win over the sizzling Green Bay Packers in an amazing Sunday matinee. At the beginning of a thrilling showcase, the Falcons exposed a blistering, lethal rushing attack.

The inexplicable speed of Turner exhausted the weary bodies of Packers defenders, and he was allowed to demonstrate quickness and agility on his home turf, leading the Falcons in considerably a much-needed win.

At long last, it appeared that Atlanta seriously loomed a menace in the NFC, a conference no one ever imagined the Falcons being on the pathway to justify much description.

As to the immediate future, the Falcons balance and polish is a sign of ambition, built around the instant improvement of Smith's vigorous capacity as a defensive specialist, Ryan's mobility and precision, and lastly Turner's motion on the ground. On both sides of the ball, in the midst of the Falcon's emergence, what fun to watch a dynamic offense dictate the momentum in every game.

Make no mistake, they find ways to win by either brilliantly attacking on the ground or through the air. This is what best describes the Falcons, an offense-oriented team with the habit of maneuvering the pace of the game and outplaying a solid defensive unit.

But soon enough, inside their domain, where a noisy fan base unconditionally loves the Falcons, they'll be considered in conversation for mounting to superiority in the league as winning has evolved into commonplace. Admittedly, any other town, rooting on any other team, should be nervous, somewhat terrified of the Falcons third straight winning season.

My assumption is people will dwell on the impressive streak in the postseason, but as of now, the folks barely rave on such a brilliant season the Falcons are entertaining, busy praising other teams based on tradition and grandiosity. The disrespect looms at Atlanta, even if the rabid fans appreciate the growth of the overlooked Falcons. It's time for the world to realize this team is real.

The problem, of course, is that no one is kind in recognizing the rapid quickness of Turner. He couldn't possibly have been forgotten, where he has harvested his accomplished career as the primary running back of a predominant team. All because of his speedy cleats, he had 110 yards on the ground, leading the Falcons to another significant scene, becoming a common pattern in Atlanta.

Before the Falcons played the Packers on Sunday, which had won its last three games, Ryan was already verified as a star. What is knowingly is that a star was born, ever since his arrival a few seasons ago, during his impressive rookie season, a year the Falcons' faithful became accustomed to his ability to shine as a team leader and inside the locker room.

It's very alarming what the Falcons have done in their domain, as the Packers fell victim at an energized place where the carnival crowd turned nuts, witnessing the home team run the ball and throw it.

"We are fighting for home-field advantage," Falcons cornerback Dunta Robinson said. "We are on a roll and feeling good in here. It's huge to play here. It's home. It's energy. We play with more confidence here. It's a family atmosphere. We feed off the crowd and they feed off of us. When I came here from Houston, they used to say, 'Hey baby, we're in the dome today.' And I was like, 'What does that mean?' I found out."

Yeah, it's home sweet dome.

There’s no place like a festive, electrifying environment. Afterwards, the Falcons celebrated and won seven consecutive games in the dome, just as Ryan improved to 19-1 at home, amazingly winning 15 straight games within its territory. It's worth pointing out that the Falcons prefer home cooking, rather than room service.


What mattered the most is that the Falcons featured a rare breed in Ryan, carefully flinging the ball to his favorite target receiver Roddy White.

As usual, he accounted for 24 of 28 passes that ultimately was a factor in demoralizing the Packers and dismantling defensive coordinator Dom Capers' philosophy by exploiting his efficient mobility and craftiness to connect with nine different receivers against one of the league's top defenses and produce two 14-play, 80-yard, seven-and-a-half-minute touchdown drives.

"He's smart. He read our coverages. He ran outside the pocket and made some third-down throws. I had a lot of respect for him coming in. I feel no differently now," Capers said.

It would be fair to applaud the special teams, most notably by Eric Weems when he returned a kickoff 40 yards and endured a yanking of the facemask, which led to a penalty on Matt Wilhelm. In the next sequence, Ryan started from the Packers 49 and simply completed four consecutive passes to advance the ball to the 29, to make way for the game-winning field goal.

For one afternoon the Packers, one of the top-notch teams, led by Aaron Rodgers, had trouble slowing down the Falcons unstoppable speed on defense. It's always nice to credit the winners.

In retrospect, the Falcons are real.

Cam Newton Completes Astonishing Comeback To Give National Hope to Auburn

One of the truly nice things in regards to the Iron Bowl is that the rivalry matchup is the most intense, compelling rivalry in college football. The best team arguably in the nation is the Auburn Tigers, amidst the latest controversy surrounding Cam Newton.

Allow us to present to you the Tigers. In one season, Auburn renewed its prominence and raised the level of invincibility with national ramifications at stake, on pace to contend on the national stage for justifications of affirming validity.

Maybe all the Tigers needed was a convincing win over the Alabama Crimson Tide in an interstate match within a hostile boundary for national attention.

Hours after everyone consumed a heavenly meal at Thanksgiving feasts, a bout across state lines became the most ravishing event of the weekend. As expected, it was the SEC showdown Auburn fans waited for anxiously. They had been ready to witness the Tigers conclude an unimaginable mission in the SEC Championship Game come next week.

Early on, at Bryant-Denny Stadium, a scary late afternoon began once Auburn allowed the Tide to extend a demoralizing 24-0 lead.

From there, the Tigers were fortunate to still be alive by halftime, handling the adversity and early letdowns with their resiliency and intrepidity. At first glance, Newton enthusiastically darted from the visitor's tunnel for pregame warmups, all while two songs blasted loudly.

He couldn't remember the last time he celebrated so wildly, thrilled with another signature performance in a season when a scandal has stained his image, but amazingly hasn't affected his indomitable effort on turf this season.


For what he's worth, Newton wasn't anywhere near flawless a few weeks ago, accused of his infamous scandal involving his father, Cecil, a preacher, who allegedly sought money and violated NCAA rules.

At the end of the most important game of his life, he took a jubilant victory lap and celebrated his most miraculous performance this season, erasing much of his burdens and adversity—as winning cures gloom within an unbeaten program. What's more, in a critical game, he's a pioneer motivated by all the eternal triumph and disappointment.

And he truly rallied the Tigers from a 24-0 deficit to stun the crowd of over 101,000, as he pulled off a staggering 28-27 win over No. 9 Alabama. All season long, Auburn has been successful in the fourth quarter and has mustered plenty of memorable comebacks to salvage a promising season.

In each game, particularly this one, the Tigers made adjustments to reduce flaws and fundamentally manhandled their opponent in the second half, rebounding with perseverance and heart. This season, the Tigers have rallied in eight of 12 games, including four double-digit deficits.

It's fittingly a respectable trend when an ebullient, sturdy quarterback like Newton can maneuver a dynamic offense by his sturdy rush attack and throwing motion. As allegations swirl around Newton and Auburn University, the real explanation is that he has created a wonderful tale in the sport.

The notion of Auburn is the aura of their adjustments, execution and faith, components for such a beautiful season as a nation is drawn to the theory of Auburn's unexpected pursuit to BCS greatness.

On this day, like many other days, Newton was sensational and led the Tigers over the defending champs and archrivals, greatly protecting a wonderful season from ending wastefully. Every time he meets his opponent, he dominates on the turf by using his speed and agility. And yet a large crowd saw a confident and fierce Alabama suddenly crumble in a hurry and fall at home to the Tigers.

"I can't tell you how proud I am of this football team," Auburn coach Gene Chizik said. "This is a tough place to play and a tough place to win. But our guys just did what they've been doing all season. They just kept playing."

They indeed continued to thrive, snapping Alabama's 20-game home winning streak. Best of all, the Tigers are en route to winning their first national championship in college football since 1957. But apart from the historical feats, the Tigers are now one win away from immortality and earning a trip to the national title for a shot at the crystal football.

At 12-0, the team will earn praise nationally with a victory against South Carolina in the SEC Championship Game on Dec. 4 in Atlanta.

You've forgotten that Newton has played 11 spectacular games despite the scandal. You saw him keep his composure and endure the displeasure.

The other issue, in this particular game, is that Alabama's Greg McElroy's career-high 377 yards turned into a waste and he couldn't finish, getting sacked in the final minutes. It was also a solid performance by receiver Julio Jones, able to dust by the Tiger's secondary and account for 10 catches for 199 yards.

What's amazing is that Alabama's defense held Auburn to season lows in total yards and rushing yards, and still suffered in the end. By the end of the first quarter, the Tide had accounted for 187 yards of total offense.

There were times, of course, when the Tigers were sluggish and vulnerable and were held to 87 yards, minus-10 rushing in the first half. There was Saban apologizing for his team's poor effort and inability to finish the game strongly. As usual, he alluded to his team's mistakes and second-half meltdowns.

For now, it's good to know that Newton never took money in the Iron Bowl, but instead took over the Iron Bowl. How is that? He took over the Tide. How is that?

Vince Young-Jeff Fisher Feud Paralyzes Titans: Bud Adams Stuck in Crisis

So the music industry must be as broken as the Tennessee Titans, when a little kid by the name of Justin Bieber won Artist of the Year award at the American Music Awards. It’s a divorce of mutual antipathy, and has miserably tarnished an irreparable relationship in the Music City a place that has fueled an ongoing feud, entertaining an everlasting soap opera in Tennessee.

The corruption looms in the South for a team still in contention of possibly claiming a postseason berth, but the disappearance of romance and an unhealthy relationship concerning Jeff Fisher and Vince Young has promptly disjointed an entire franchise, and has also paralyzed the mettle of the Titans. In the national viewpoint, it’s a time when no one has reserved judgment on Fisher’s psychological strategy to purge Young of his duties as the starting quarterback in the near future, prepared to move forward without the underachiever.

And by now, Titans owner Bud Adams knows he cannot possibly promise his quarterback and coach employment next season, as long as a full-blown feud in the annex of intense disturbance creates borderline insanity. And yet, at this moment, there's no remedy for both men in the middle of a disagreement for which reconciling seems impossible. If he has dismissed Young in an erratic culture, then the future gazes upon tumultuous, unless Adams offers an ultimatum as a cure.


The irony is that Fisher has turned down a priceless relationship, ready to disconnect with a quarterback in much enigma of his performance on turf. The glaring notion is that Fisher has no intentions in working alongside Young in the future, turning elsewhere to fill the hardest position in football. As of late Sunday, a shaky breakup created mayhem in the city of Nashville, hearing the titanic controversy in regards to an inevitable separation and the masses begging for both Young and Fisher to be ousted, furious of the tasteless dysfunction that has left a city dazed and disgusted.

The buzz, as of now, is reflected on Young's thumb injury and he will miss the rest of the season to undergo season-ending surgery, a timing excuse to shove away the fifth-year quarterback eternally. So, while Fisher is obviously dispirited with Young's progress, his boss insisted that both his player and coach needed to just get along. Assuming that the Tennessean reports are valid, Adams said Young will be the team's starter in 2011.

Without hesitation, he stated, "Oh, God, yes!"

Adams, a native of Texas who believes in his star player, trusts in Young. There is a reaction, however, to this theory of Adams defending his quarterback, partly because Young, a Houston native who guided the Longhorns to national title in a memorable upset over USC, is a well-known Texas breed and has similar ties as the Titans bias owner. As long as Fisher is the manipulator, after conducting a useful foundation since the team landed in Nashville, he'll be given the command to voice personnel decisions leading into the future of team layouts.

And if Young is part of the Titans blueprint down the road, a heated confrontation in the locker room is likely to erupt acrimony and could suddenly harm the stature of an unsettled franchise. The aura of the Titans is fading and Adams is stuck in a bad predicament, forced in releasing either his player or coach as a way to lull undesirable feuding. Few are more fortunate than Adams, such as Raiders owner Al Davis.

For once, without any cartoonish drama influencing a probable season, the franchise in Oakland isn't ridiculed but Tennessee is mocked for all the madness tearing down the Titans 5-5 season. It could have been the tirade and hissy fit he threw over on the sideline, when Young sustained his injury as he is now portrayed as a trouble-maker and a distraction, and perceived differently by a disgruntled Fisher. He knew he was lucky to be playing in the first place, even though he lacked maturity in the past and stumbled in must-needed games, only to be benched in favor of veteran Kerry Collins, who's recovering from a calf injury.

"I will say this," Fisher said of Young's injury, "had he been healthy, he still would not be the starter."


From the look on his face, Fisher is holding a grudge on Young. If so, it's hard to tell which direction this issue is leading to, when reports were released that he's welcome to the team's facility. It was shortly after the Titans 19-16 loss on Sunday against the Redskins that a verbal altercation had flared in the locker room, when Fisher opted not to allow Young back in the game in the fourth quarter.

"We are in the race," Fisher said.

Adams clearly knows Fisher of 16 years is his man, but he also believes Young is his franchise quarterback. He has been a cornerstone on this franchise for a long time, long before Young's arrival. And in this league, he has been a disciplinary coach, a trait that has defined his personality. Respect it, or leave it. That is Fisher's attitude.

There is no shortage of specifics on Young's lack of maturity, as to how he plays consistently, as to how he prepares in practice sessions, and as to how he handles adversity. The reality is that Fisher is ready to hand the rookie quarterback Rusty Smith the everyday task, confident that he's capable of the challenge. As far as he's concern, he'll be ready to replace Smith next week at Houston if he stumbles in his NFL debut with the recent addition of backup Chris Simms.

Anybody but Young.

When it ends dramatically and abruptly, someone must leave. It's understandable that either Fisher or Young will not return, but this is something Adams will have to figure out on his own.

Peyton Manning's Hell Toss Diminishes Comeback In Cordial Patriots-Colts Rivalry

The rivalry, which defined the significations of the NFL over the last decade, sort of reminds us of a bittersweet, warmhearted meeting with limited drama and endless action-packed scenes that leave us breathless as the final minutes trickle down.

For nearly 10 years, as we embraced a rivalry without bad blood, the Indianapolis Colts vs. New England Patriots has never been verified as a typical rivalry, nothing like Alien vs. Predator, Batman vs. Joker, Disney Princesses vs. Villains, King Kong vs. Godzilla or even Kendall vs. Greenlee from All My Children. And because we live in an insatiable society, we have relished the birth of a rivalry in the most endearing sport on our continent, anxious to witness Peyton Manning vs. Tom Brady.

The beauty of what has emerged into an annual contest is that usually a blunder materializes near the end of a mesmerizing masterpiece, an epic event hyped intensely to attract our consciousness on a compelling Sunday. In considering a renewed masterpiece, the latest installment in football history is noteworthy for a pair of high-profile franchises.

This time, especially in the final moments, resembled last season’s date at the Colts’ $720-million Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis. As in the last meeting, it felt like a playoff atmosphere on a bone-chilling evening in Foxboro, Massachusetts.

That said, the comparisons of Bill Belichick’s fourth and two blunder with Peyton’s Hell Toss mostly describes one of the most inexplicable rivalries in the history of football. As anticipated, it was vividly one of the most thrilling games this season, circling two premier pocket passers with unreal resumes while quarterbacking their teams charmingly to triumph.

And normally, in sports, teams hate opposing teams, but there is no real animosity between the Colts and Patriots, just as there is with the Red Sox and Yankees or Lakers and Celtics.

It's a collision course in football worth rooting for, but maybe it's too cordial and sweet for which both star quarterbacks are classy in the greatest of duels, well-respected for representing humility and civility.

It's fair to suggest that Brady is defined as the villain for such a bombastic nature, arrogantly wearing his pompous facial expressions or uttering his sardonic comments via radio airwaves or even during press conferences, a pretentious trait which doesn't settle too well with disgusted fans.

The difference from the last engagement is that Brady outdueled Manning in a yearly bout. While on the verge of stringing together another breathtaking comeback, the Colts, after trailing by 17 early in the fourth quarter, were victimized by Manning's Hell Toss, the latest blunder in a notable duel. With a minute left, he walked off distraught and furious, wearing an irritable scowl by the time he stood on the sideline following one of the most embarrassing miscues of his monumental career.


He is, without question, the star of the Colts and has been verified as the endearing icon at the most laborious position on turf. This year, of course, Belichick trusted in his uninspired and inexperienced defense to hinder Manning and the Colts stout passing attack. Amid his prime, as long as he's a Colt, he can lead Indianapolis to their second championship in five seasons, if he doesn't replicate his miscues when much is at stake.

Quite simply, he might have a shot at redemption as both the Colts and Patriots are on path to play in a rematch possibly in the AFC Championship Game. For once, in his lifetime, he wasn't savvy or wise with possession on the Patriots 24 in position to tie it 31-31 on an Adam Vinatieri field goal or either win it on a sensational game-winning connection with one of his reliable receivers in Jacob Tamme or Reggie Wayne, since wide receiver Austin Collie was forced to leave the game with an apparent aggravation of his concussion.

The annual Quarterback clash, the friendly meeting, of course, almost went in the favor of Manning. Next thing, he clumsily hurled a late interception directly into the quick hands of James Sanders for the Patriots to secure a dramatic 31-28 lead in a convincing fashion. It didn't matter that just last season he was praised as the greatest quarterback ever, installing hope in a small town where football is top priority, ever since the Colts arrived overnight in 1984 and became known as the Indianapolis Colts, not the Baltimore Colts.

Months later, he exposes his flaws, even when he is considered the beneficiary of a humbled franchise. Whatever happens, Patriots-Colts is a showdown like no other and a lopsided deficit quickly metamorphosed into a wild finish, but ended all so miserably on a night when Manning hadn't played like a four-time MVP.

His struggles favored the Patriots, a team riding at 8-2, tied for the best record in the NFL, while the Colts are forced to recover in a hurry at 6-4 with two straight road losses. Each contest ending so poorly on late-game picks by Manning to prevent believable comebacks.


This time, a sequel was written, recalling horrendous memories of Belichick's fatuous decision to go for it on fourth-and-two from his own 28. This time, it was called Manning's Hell Toss, a poor decision that cost the Colts a winnable game. It seemed he tried to pass the ball to Pierre Garcon, his intended receiver, on a deep throw. Right then and there, Sanders read the play and showed off his leaping ability to reel in the interception for the glaring play of the game.

"I was thinking touchdown there," Manning said, shaking his head in disappointment. "I just got my body twisted around a bit. I'm not sure what happened there."

So was he being greedy?

No, he was aiming for the win.

Not to sound like an overstatement, but people are downplaying the mental toughness and immediate impact Patriots running back Danny Woodhead, a 5-foot-8 running back from Division II Chadron State, has had on such a remarkable season.

He alleviates much of the pressure off Brady, who now has plenty of time in the pocket to find a receiver.

His rushing ability widens the passing attack, diagrammed perfectly on Brady's well-executed passing capacity. For much of the game, the Patriots controlled the momentum, leading 21-14 at the half and added to a large deficit when they had a 31-14 lead. In his lifetime, Brady has improved to 8-4 against Manning, including 2-1 in the postseason. On the opposite side of things, Manning has fallen to 6-10 all time against the Patriots, and more staggering, he has thrown 23 interceptions along with averaging 36 touchdown passes. Their last six meetings have been decided by 22 points.

As the perfectionist faltered in the critical moment, he almost had it.

"We were in an uptempo mode the last seven minutes," Manning said. "We almost scored three touchdowns. But you're playing against the clock."

Maybe Brady was ranked as the top quarterback in prior sporting magazines for holding the edge over Manning. It's just too bad that a near-beautiful comeback diminished in the final minutes of a friendly rivalry which will never produce a tremendous amount of blood.

Felix Hernandez Is Not Only Seattle's Best, But Cy Young Winner

So now we declare royalty to Felix Hernandez, the kid with such raw talent that he immediately dazzled as the most exhilarating attraction, near the Gateway to Alaska.

At the age of 14, he already had the essentials to reach the big leagues, and as the world's most talented teenager, he exposed his otherworldly talent in a substandard baseball town that suddenly fostered and became magnetized to his work of art by tossing incredibly.


For a while there, we had a strong feeling he would be handed the monumental award in baseball, given his engagement and knack to inspire an inferior ballclub that was essentially out of the pennant race by early May. There's a reason Seattle devotees appeared at Safeco Field, particularly on the nights or afternoons that Hernandez, who gave the Seattle Mariners life during the regular-season, just to witness a breathless and singular moment as King Felix delivered and clearly negated much of the mediocrity. Much as the population adored him, he made his presence felt on the mound and awed his amazed supporters, generating endless romance in a town that constantly watches raindrops fall from the sky.

As they say to the noble one...

Long live King Felix.

By now, the masses in the Pacific Northwest have fallen in love with Hernandez. Rightfully so, he won the American League Cy Young Award on Thursday, and not by a tight margin, capturing 21 of 28 first-place votes. All along, he was the fruitful ace in the majors, despite that the Mariners were never in contention for winning the American League West division.

By now, in our insatiable society, he represents charmingly a wonderful story for a region that hasn't witnessed enough happiness in a long time, and beyond posing as the most gifted teenager, he is the symbol of Seattle and has simply hypnotized the citizens into watching because of his subtlety and craft. The crazy twist is that Hernandez, after he was advertised as the world's most talented teen, was lazy and complacent until he turned 21-years old and improved his work ethic, performed with diligence, and finally reached a climax by the individual accolades of his flourishing profession.


For once, as of which many were shortsighted of his unforeseen accomplishments, he was distinguished greatly for pitching far more superior in 10 starts. Within all his starts, he was paramount and had either shutouts or held his opponents to a mere run, but had been mostly in oblivion for the Mariners valueless hitting all season.

"This confirms the Cy Young award is a not only for the pitcher with the most wins, but the most dominant," an emotional Hernandez said while he celebrated and gathered with relatives in Venezuela.

Whatever impact was made in Seattle, it was very heartfelt and enough to change the minds of voters, although he finished 13-12 this season for the Mariners. It was a universal discernment, vividly unanimous for voters to end a controversial AL Cy Young Award race in which Hernandez’s candidacy was neck-to-neck with David Price, who finished 19-6 this season and came in runner-up for the award or CC Sabathia, who settled for third place after a masterful season with the New York Yankees.

The beauty of such an exalted award, you might recall, ultimately favors a pitcher who win games and lead its team to the postseason, and Hernandez never had an opportunity to guide the Mariners to a postseason birth, simply for pitching on a mediocre club. To his credit, it is a well-deserving award and he is now rightly honored.

But the argument of the majors lies solely in a worthwhile debate, a nation puzzled as to how various voters can acknowledge Hernandez’s inferior 13 wins streak, brainwashed by his astounding feats and preferred to neglect the Sabathia’s 21-7 season or Price’s convincing year with the Tampa Bay Rays. Still, either way, he deserves the award because of his rare difference on the mound that isn’t seen frequently in the majors, especially from a developing ace.

All season, he led the league in a 2.27 ERA, along with 249 2/3 innings pitched in 34 starts. On worst imports, nonetheless, the Mariners scored merely 513 runs, less than any ballclub in the American League. Within a short span, the discontent front office was unhappy with manager Don Wakamatsu, and wasted no time in firing him as the Mariners began the season poorly and disappointed all believers that were optimistic Seattle could win the division.

Not surprisingly, he won the prize for which he threw more innings than anyone. Also, he finished second in the AL in strikeouts and even pitched better than most pitchers this season, but struggled from the most wretched run support. So, this is why it’s hard for some to make the assessment that he is worthy of the biggest award in baseball.

What we are witnessing here is the archetype of the best pitcher. And after all, he was capable of being given the award even if he didn’t earn plenty of victories, an issue that could have hindered him from winning it surrounded by an ineffective roster and limited depth.

Greater than ever, he received votes on all 28 ballots, an indicator that most of the voters weren’t so oblivious or bias and voted based on the dominance Hernandez exhibited this season. It’s all a prototype of Zack Greinke winning the Cy Young award last year, with just 16 wins and he ranked seventh in the AL. But this time around, Hernandez ranked 18th and still won it. This means anything is possible in the majors.

From my viewpoint, I think he deserves it, and I believe he earned it as well.

Donovan McNabb Should Have Said No To Redskins, Dan Snyder

We have ironically many feuds and emotional drama in our lifetimes, from the Jon and Kate messy divorce to the McCourt’s dispute in court to the Paris Hilton troubling news.

Before the game on Monday night, the heavy talk circled the latest confrontation involving head coach Mike Shanahan and Donovan McNabb, a veteran 15 days removed from spending time on the bench after he was replaced by Rex Grossman near the end of a disheartening loss to the Detroit Lions.

Either way, that is, the Washington Redskins manifests itself in a league of much enigma and still hasn’t rendered basic fundamentals under Shanahan's brilliance. If there is one perception that seems outlandish, from the inexcusable McNabb benching, it’s dauntlessly given him a five-year, $78 million contract extension at a time when the Redskins are unproven and disoriented as far as fostering unity and protecting chemistry among the coach and quarterback.

And now, after the entire world witnessed a throbbing 59-28 loss at FedEx Field to the Philadelphia Eagles, it was the most humiliating loss the Redskins have endured in years while under immense scrutiny for owner Dan Snyder’s boneheaded decisions by wastefully signing high-profile stars that dismantled his underachieving franchise.

The bonanza is drawing much publicity, as usual, at Redskins Circus, quickly becoming a laughable setting in sports because of Redskins foolish blunders and Snyder’s hellish 12-years in which he has destroyed his team.

Every year, he is blamed for the Redskins struggles, and befuddles us with his mystic decisions in building a high-profile franchise by giving his players enormous paychecks.

As long as he is the chairman of a much-scrutinized team with overexposed talent, his Redskins will always expose futility and sketchiness. Only if he realized that, while his product continues to accumulate as a brand because of the fond supporters in the realm of D.C. sports, his franchise is presenting a tragicomedy in sports.

The Redskins, a team that seems more like a Simpson’s episode, are labeled as a dysfunctional franchise. And so, here in the late stages of his career, McNabb is tied to a poorly run business, a team that already lacked gratitude, a team that already embarrassed him for their faulty decision by benching McNabb in favor of Grossman.

Wait, who? Yes, the inconsistent Grossman.

What were Shanahan and team executives thinking of allowing this to happen?

We may never know what took place or went wrong, but we cannot dismiss the mistreatment of McNabb. In the wake of his benching, maybe this was an inkling of bad karma for the Redskins Monday night when the Eagles basically manhandled them by jumping to a 35-0 lead in 15 minutes, nine seconds.

In the end, the Redskins somberly walked out, the crowd had made its way to the exits and no longer had the patience in witnessing one of the worst games in NFL history from the stands as the rain poured.

What happened Monday night added to the dismay on the day McNabb had signed a five-year contract extension. Snyder strongly believes in the aging veteran, considering his underperformance with the Redskins. Ordinarily, in recent memory, the Redskins have targeted players without valued marketability, and accepted the availability of players well past their primes or players who were bust.

Not too long ago, McNabb had been benched for his subpar performance, and as much as he continues to age, he is unlikely to be with the Redskins another five years. So why sign him to such a long-term deal?

If the Redskins keep playing like a JV team, as if all their games are played in a schoolyard, expect a choosy Snyder to once again weigh his options and dump McNabb.

As the ever changeable owner, he has dismissed a legion of coaches and hired a multitude of new ones. As a confounded owner, he has given additional money to unproven players and allowed them the benefit of the doubt. As the baddest owner ever, he has dismantled his own franchise, more concerned with his ego and finances, but has never been concerned with advancing to the brightest stage in football or embracing the noteworthy holiday in sports.


If the Redskins had the intentions of signing McNabb to a much richer deal, Snyder had ample time to extend his deal in their bye week. But unlike most organizations, he waited hours before kickoff of a nationally televised game and forgot he played poorly in prior weeks. More stunningly, though, he seems content with a franchise that wrongly sent him to the bench. He was infuriated over the benching, but never advertised his disillusionment publicly and stayed to himself for much of the week.

When he arrived to Washington, he was welcomed and adored by the cheerful population, but hastily fell as the centerpiece of the franchise and began committing blunders on the field. If Snyder assembles talent and works aggressively to put forward a deal, it normally backfires and sabotages his team.

There are some, Snyder, in particular, willing to endorse McNabb while the fallout provoked ridiculous drama, and empowered the citizens to believe McNabb's benching was dumb and badly mishandled.

The timing of McNabb’s contract extension couldn’t come at a worst time, and on a night that he gazed at his replacement, Michael Vick showcased his dynamic, six-touchdown performance. It’s never surprising when McNabb is criticized for a paltry performance, regularly humiliated by his critics and even his coaching staff.

The baffling thing is that he’s willing to finish his career with a team with poor management and misguidance.


Besides, he should be tired of being accused for demoralizing defeats, especially when his coach Shanahan bullies his star player. It’s clearly understandable that he doesn’t quite bond with offensive coordinator, Kyle Shanahan, Mike’s son. And lately, Shanahan has protected his son by foolishly benching McNabb because they felt he hadn’t adjusted to the play calling. He is a typical father who pampers his sensitive son.

Deemed as a brainless quarterback, McNabb really isn’t as stupid as people think he is. Mind you, he’s a very savvy pass thrower, if people are kind enough to reduce the criticism and give him some time to learn Shanahan’s tactics.

With Shanahan in control, he has had turbulent relationships with players in the past and bullied Albert Haynesworth in the offseason when he tried to use him as an example in voluntary workouts and mandatory minicamps. The bottom line is, of course, Shanahan made a severe mistake with his handling of McNabb. As for his boss psyche, Snyder wastefully spent and destroyed his franchise.

It’s obvious that Snyder doesn’t know how to run his business.

Cam Newton Should Be Banned Immediately by the NCAA

With a 49-31 victory over the Georgia Bulldogs, the Auburn Tigers were able to put the distraction of the Cam Newton saga behind them for at least another week. The question is when is the NCAA going to suspend Newton and what will the punishment that arises from Newton playing?

The latest rumor doesn't bode well for Auburn as Cecil Newton the father of Cam has admitted to soliciting money to have his son play at Mississippi State. The story which can be found here, makes the claim that Cam and his mother had no clue what Cecil was doing. 

Cecil also maintains no money exchanged hands and no offer ever was made or completed with Mississippi State and so far Cam's parents have cooperated with the NCAA's investigation. But, does this cooperation really mean anything? 

Last year Dez Bryant was suspended by the NCAA for lying to investigators about a meeting with Deion Sanders. For Bryant he was suspended for the rest of the season for lying even though his meeting with Sanders was not a violation of NCAA rules. 

What's even more disturbing is the belief that Cam was kept in the dark about what his father was doing. If that were the case then why isn't Cam at Mississippi State? What's the reason for spurning Mississippi State for Auburn especially when Newton had a previous relationship with coach Dan Mullen?

With more and more lies coming out from Cecil it doesn't bode well for Cam. Last week, Cecil claimed to Fox Sports that it was a "witch hunt." Yet, now Cecil has admitted to trying to get money for Cam to go play at Mississippi State.

So, if Cecil hasn't been honest to begin with how can it be believed that Cam had no idea what was going on?   If anything it's time for the NCAA to take action and that means suspending Cam until the investigation is completed.

Besides the investigation into Cecil attempting to get money from Mississippi State it was also rumored that Cam was going to be expelled for the University of Florida for cheating. According to ESPN there were several attempts by Cam to cheat.

Yet, Cam left Florida before he could be punished for the cheating because of the arrest for receiving stolen property and he then enrolled at Blinn College in Texas. Neither Cam or Cecil have shown their ability to be honest, so having Cam still play is beyond belief especially when Bryant was suspended for 10 games for lying to NCAA investigators.

It's time for the NCAA to stop giving the Newton's the benefit of the doubt! Cam Newton must be suspended immediately.

Cam Newton Evidently Might Be Innocent, Leading Auburn Closer To Nobility

This time, evidently, the nightmare of revelations weren’t drawing many conversations in Tiger Nation, a community in the South that has been mired in innuendo and uncertainty with the slew of allegations involving Cam Newton, the Heisman hopeful this season.

In one of the most exotic, tumultuous weeks of Newton’s lifetime, his presence was felt by the home crowd that lofted signs that read “Yes We Cam!” The more than Auburn Tigers win, the more a repugnant scandal disappears slowly of which winning cures all the troubles Newton is facing with the pending investigations and accusations.

“Like I said, he’s a really, really talented, extremely gifted football player, and he means a lot to our football team,” said Chizik afterward. “Again, I’m only going to answer questions more along the lines of pertaining to the game. By (Newton’s) performance, I felt like he’s done just about what he’s done in every other game this year.”

After all, however, he is academically and athletically eligible and as for his status, nothing has been proven which means Newton is innocent until proven guilty. But for now, it’s the hearsay and claims of the ongoing sins released publicly, putting his Heisman status in jeopardy. In the meantime, the Newton scandal revoked our consciousness in collegiate sports, but almost simultaneously heightened his celebrity in a state that relishes the game. What amazes the masses is that he is keeping his poise and calmness, despite all the alleged misconduct and distractions, still favored to win the stiff-armed award because of his unparalleled accomplishments this season.

If there’s any truth to this ongoing NCAA investigation, he won’t be forgotten but will be forgiven in a way. Until we know the truth, he is still the commodity of Auburn, a gifted football institution driving towards a national title. Now that they are on the path of brilliance, Newton and the university is facing much scrutiny for all what has elicited within a noteworthy program within the elite SEC conference.


The nation’s best player played with tremendous heart on Saturday in front of thousands and led the Tigers to a historic 49-31 win over Georgia. It is as if his life has never been in shambles, and now Newton is pretending that the confusion has never existed and has amazingly endured the invasion of the NCAA.

For all we know, he could be the cleanest, spotless star in the game and this scandal could easily be a slap in his face if evidence emanate that he never violated the rules. It was, however, a thrilling moment with an everlasting marathon, and historically, Newton had 299 yards in total offense and emerged as the first player in SEC history to throw for 2,000 and rush for 1,000 in a season.

In the end, he had two touchdowns in rushing, and two more in passing for a combine of four touchdowns on the evening thousands witnessed the modest quarterback polish with all the recondite reports that he cheated in several classes while he was a Florida Gator. As much as we want to believe that reports were leaked from his jealous enemy, maybe the allegations were made from someone associated with the Gators as way to spoil the Tigers’ adroit season. As much as we want to believe that reports were leaked from a senseless Gators fan, maybe the accusations were made from someone who figures that Florida’s hopes are on the line because of the emergence of Newton and the Tigers.

Few believe there is some wariness swirling within the Auburn program, with Chizik continuously downplaying and doing very little to resolve the hypocrisy and conspiracy madness. As usual, he fueled a bit of suspicion by clearly rebuffing interest in discussing the Newton infamy and took the easy way out when he was interrogated in the press conference, and only responded to short answers.

Throughout the perturbing obloquy, the University of Auburn has been silent and has refused to comment on the turbulence encompassing the school. At this point, the heavy talk is devoted to whether or not Auburn is worthy of accepting an invite to the national scene. At this point, the heavy talk is turned to the Tigers high-powered rushing attack, a common trait which has defined a burgeoning season in the toughest conference in all of college football.


At this point, the heavy talk is given to the Tigers for overwhelming the nation, preserving conversations on whether they merit every right to fittingly claim the No. 1 ranking in the nation over the Oregon Ducks. Clearly, he is the face of a dominant football team in the South, therefore he led Auburn out of the tunnel and stormed onto the field before the opening kickoff, waving his arms to energize the crowd that swung orange pom-poms, alerted and enchanted in witnessing a reserved and composed Newton.

All alone, he pulverized Georgia on the ground and carried the ball 30 times for 151 yards. At one time in the game, the Tigers trailed by two touchdowns, and still scored 42 of the next 52 points to exhibit its well-rounded offense that has been unstoppable. With 13 days until the Iron Bowl, most of the anxiety has fizzled out. At the end of the contest, he happily chest-bumped Auburn’s Tiger mascot, and he jumped into the stands to celebrate with the supportive fans.

Sharing the moment with the crowd, he slapped hands with everyone and he orchestrated the band and he smiled greatly, telling the world that he’s not worried or disturbed by the allegations. That’s because he might have felt some relief for a recent report that stated Newton knew nothing about his father’s ties with Mississippi State on Saturday. So basically, as this report brings out a bit of specifics, his father, Ceil, a preacher, carelessly tried to sell his son for a return of profit. His teammates seemed distracted, but Newton never had a worried or tense stare on his face and led the Tigers.

There’s much to like about Newton, especially when Tiger Nation only cares about winning football games. He is, certainly, the one player everyone applauded. After all, he resurrected the Tigers. There were thousands of fans crowding the streets as Newton walked by in the traditional Tiger Walk that lasts a half-mile. Without him, the Tigers wouldn’t be riding an impressive 11-0 season, on the way to the SEC championship game in a few weeks. For now, unless this commotion is true, he is eligible and will be Auburn’s guy.

As you may know, already, the fans were holding up signs that said “I stand with Cam.”

That is a good conception, until all the facts are released.

Miami Heat's Gutless, Lethargic Personality Ails As Tropical Storm Hits

Together, not long ago, they traveled to the shores of South Beach and chose to take a pay cut to join forces as members of the Miami Heat. However, it seems the most hyped team is believed to be the most heartless, gutless and softest team in the league.

In truth, the Heat are the equivalent of a soft jellyfish near the shores of the beach, and we were merely worshipping a franchise as if the Superman/Batman/Robin trio was the most fascinating triple-threat in the NBA. Turns out, you were wrong. Turns out, I was wrong.

The basketball world has cast its focus upon LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh, three superstars who aren’t even playing like superstars. Instead, they're playing like dumbfounded ballplayers with a feeble mentality in engaging us as a primary powerhouse.

With two questionable losses within three days in the realm of a tropical setting, the Heat are barely above the .500 mark. In theory this was a perfect marriage, but it isn’t as ideal as it seems and still remains as perplexing a calamity as when much of the publicly rained down during a bizarre summer.

“We're not there,” Heat head coach Erik Spoelstra said following the 112-107 loss to the Boston Celtics. “We did not play well tonight. But again, we have a different timeline and this is going to be a process and it won’t always be an easy one.”

If you believe in mermaids and sea monsters, then you probably felt almost simultaneously that way about the Heat. In other words, entering this season the Heat were portrayed as a probable fairy tale, which is suddenly an improbable fairy tale. Maybe the Heat are an overrated team in the NBA, lacking the essentials to out shine the invigorated Los Angeles Lakers or even the ageless Celtics, a conference nemesis who has beaten Miami twice this season.

So far we are gazing at the unsuccessful experiment from the most insane transition in the history of sports to form a blockbuster trifecta. The unprecedented project of stringing together an array of talent is generating nothing more than overexposed hype. But most of all, it has been an unproductive season for a dauntless Hall of Famer, Pat Riley, who gambled by persuading James and Bosh to join forces with Wade.

It was, at one point, the perfect marriage. But now it has turned into a confusing riddle and the Heat are ridiculed for signing LeBron, retaining Spoelstra, and lastly, becoming accustomed to a malcontent in Bosh. Most of all, they are easy to smash, just as it is simple to smash marshmallows. It’s a no-brainer.

And if the three persist in under-performing and don’t adjust instantly, the heavy talk of piling multiple rings falls out of the picture. This was supposed to be the team to beat ever since James surrendered his claim to all-time greatness and ever since Bosh departed our neighbor north of the border for a shot at celebrating in the midsummer.


The Heat were supposed to rise as prime contenders and defeat every opponent. But as it turns out, they are more hopeless and fearful than any other team in the league. By virtue, there’s no mental toughness or aplomb spreading quickly among a unit with high expectations. Not as advertised, the Heat are vulnerable to collapse in the playoffs if they fail to play defense anytime soon.

As much talent as the Heat have, the team's core hasn’t adjusted or committed to playing defense. The otherworldly talent of three megastars is a waste so far and many setbacks have affected an underachieving trio. Each megastar ceded their roles and compromised their egos, unlike the typical athlete who’d rather demand more money and selfishly protect his ego.

Armed with ultimate star power, in many ways, the Heat are lethargic even though the superteam comes to fruition and assembled arguably the best trio of all-time. These guys signed for one objective: win an NBA title. But now it’s telling that they aren’t close to earning the NBA crown, not until the Heat muster a perspective of how to defend beyond the arch and inside the paint.

For all the hype pulling off the greatest free agent shopping spree ever was worth during the summer, the Heat are now criticized for their early season letdowns that could lead to a terminal beat down. As for the scrutiny, the judgment of the Heat after nine games is causing panic attacks because they're struggling to begin the season with signs of disgruntlement and tension. Meanwhile, the future remains to be seen and the Heat are an unsolved mystery, rattling the brains of its fans and the NBA in general.

In fairness, Spoelstra has done a decent job as head coach, but he’s not a sentimental or eloquent voice and hasn’t demanded much from his players. LeBron, for the most part, is the vocal leader and Wade is the floor general; but nonetheless, they have not gelled together as a cohesive unit. Besides, they are still in the midst of learning each others styles and personalities. Mired in turbulence, the Heat are anything but flawless and need lots of work as a way to measure up to standards.

But as of now, the Heat are uttering their smack-talk without producing enough wins and lacking toughness. They are a mentally and physically soft team. Twice this season the Celtics exposed their weaknesses. That is where the Heat stands nowadays. Until the over-hyped franchise emphasizes leadership, fortitude, character and a sense of urgency in substantial meetings, particularly the showdown match-ups in the East.

An indication that the Heat are gutless right now is that following a second disappointing loss in three days, Spoelstra issued a speech on the significance of staying together. As it is, the Heat are beating themselves. The hysteria of public humiliation was absorbed during the outrageous, strange stunt that took place over the summer, when the three promised to win five or six championships.

It’s amazing how LeBron has paralyzed the team’s self-confidence, considering that he created a ruckus off the court when he foolishly unleashed a blatant Nike ad, filled with arrogance and nonsense. Relatively speaking, he is perceived as a villain for the way he left Cleveland and publicly launched a narcissistic reality show, just so he could announce that he was taking his talent to South Beach.

There he is, the so-called King, who really should be referred to as the Prince, in South Beach struggling and becoming a burden on a franchise where he was expected to dazzle as a megastar and install some hope in a town that doesn’t really have any basketball history. In some ways, he was brought in to transform the landscape, but hasn’t.

If he’s more focused on becoming a global celebrity rather than a global icon in basketball, his television ads serving as a symbol for this, then he’s dragging down the persona of an underachieving team.

The adversity of this sluggish pattern is perturbing for the Heat, and James is lacking self-awareness and self-confidence. Not able to translate his power or energy with the Heat and off to a shaky start, Bosh is unhappy and hasn’t been employing his size. Instead he is bullied by larger opponents nightly. So now he’s disgusted and hasn’t played up to his potential.

“Of course you don’t think you’d be 5-4 at this time, no question about it,” Wade said. “But we are 5-4. You can’t run from your record. We’re the best 5-4 team in the league, how about that. But we have a lot of work to do.”

Yeah, the worst-best 5-4 team in the league, how about that. And he’s indeed right, the Heat need lots of work.

At this rate, though, the Heat will not win a championship or dance in South Beach.

If Cam Newton Unleashes Truth, It's a Way To Tone Down Bombshells

If you think the sordid scandal centering Cam Newton is the ugliest, full-blown cataclysm, just as it reflects on his days when he wasn’t perceived as a contemptible jock or even in conversations to feasibly win the most prestigious award, you haven’t realized that he’s imperfect just like the rest of us. Otherwise, we can make excuses or underplay his poor judgment in the past, but now he is facing heavy consequences ever since his latest sins came within view, putting his Heisman status in tremendous jeopardy.

Earlier in the week, he was publicly exposed to horrendous storms off the field when allegations came to light in the recent bombshell that he and his father had a discussion about money. How utterly disgusting to uncover that Newton, considered the frontrunner for the Heisman Trophy is absolutely the most scrutinized candidate in the nation. He’s obviously the epicenter in college football, already drawing negative publicity for an endless saga involving his shocking allegations.

Mind you, if nothing else, he’s the epitome of a spotless athlete who suddenly turns into a sullied individual. For all we know, though, he might not be such a huge burden at Auburn. Most of his tumult dated back to his days at Florida, in which a university source confirmed on Tuesday that Newton opted in leaving the university because of his academic and unlawful troubles. In prior history, he was arrested for purchasing a stolen laptop from a student’s dorm room in November 2008. And reportedly, he recklessly infringed the university’s honor code by writing his name on another student’s paper and turning it in.

What’s more, he was caught after the instructor questioned the writer of the paper, pondering why he had not turned in his paper. That said, after the student lied and informed the instructor that he turned in his paper, he and the instructor searched through all the submissions and noticed Newton had wrote his name on the paper. Not surprisingly, he turned in a second paper, but again he had violated the rules for plagiarizing someone else’s work after he foolishly purchased the paper off the Internet.

As a way to resolve his wrongdoings, he was to appear for a hearing before the Florida Student’s Conduct Committee in the spring semester of 2009 but rapidly ran from his transgressions and transferred to Blinn College. This is exactly what transpires in collegiate sports these days, mainly if the committee or trustees aren’t proactive in putting a halt to all the infractions. This is exactly why the gist of academia is ruptured because of the disingenuous and misleading allegations.

Instead of the committee enforcing a punishment against Newton, he was permitted to hurdle over the yellow tape of a repugnant crime scene. On Tuesday morning, Steve McClain, Florida’s Associate Athletics Director for Communications, declined to address the matter. “We can’t comment on federally protected records,” McClain said.

The mysterious case is spinning us around. The accusations of Newton academically cheating eased its way into the headlines less than a week following reports that former player Kenny Rogers claimed to represent Newton and allegedly sought $180,000 for the stud quarterback to enroll into Mississippi State. So in the meantime, it’s not telling whether Newton cheated at Auburn or anywhere else amongst a dumbfounded saga.

But it seems more than one person is guilty here as bits and pieces of the story still unleashes staggering eye-openers, unfortunately adding to the horror. All of this could lead to distractions and affect the way Auburn performs in the upcoming weeks as the regular-season trickles down. If Newton received money to play for Auburn or anywhere else, he’ll be viewed differently and probably would have to pay for his immutable crimes, even if he’s still beheld as the popular kid on campus after reviving a storied program in the South.

Gazing over the mess at Auburn, earlier in the week, the mirror reflected on Newton. There he is, the star quarterback, denying that he ever had three different instances of academic cheating while enrolled at the University of Florida and faced possible expulsion from the university. For a very long time, the NCAA has constituted rules and demands that prohibit college stars from being lavished with money, but a number of student-athletes are still outsmarting the unsound system by accepting money from slimy agents or cheating on exams, just so they can seek eligibility. Seldom have we gone a season without publicly hearing about illicit payments granted for college athletes, it seems, when it only continues to become worse as the years progress.

“I’m not going to entertain something that took place not three months, not six months, not a year but two years ago,” Newton said. “I’m not going to sit up here and say anything about it, whether I did or did not do it, because I don’t want to beat the dead horse talking about it. It’s not going to affect me any way, shape or fashion.”

Well, guess what? Sometimes you have to beat the dead horse as a way to come clean.

The anonymity of everlasting allegations has expanded into a heinous holocaust and has invited the FBI during a puzzling NCAA investigation with Heisman hopes muddled. All the university needed was the feds to take interest in this dreadful incident. But for now, reportedly, the FBI has asked to meet with John Bonds, a former Mississippi State football player who originally claimed that Rogers, a former football star as well, contacted him to inform him money would influence Newton to sign on a letter of intent.

These days, Auburn coach Gene Chizik, has shown much emotion, but he hasn’t been reserved about the ongoing reports.

“Cam Newton is one of the guys on our football team that has not only excelled as a tremendous athlete…I’m wasting my time addressing allegations that blow my mind that they’re even out there, because there’s federal privacy laws that dictate that these things don’t get out in public.

“I’m standing up here on a very important week trying to defend something that’s garbage.”

Even if we are clueless as of what exactly happened, it remains to be seen whether he’s guilty or immaculate of escaping the torture from the media and pending allegations. But we know that the duplicity of college football has tarnished possibly the meaningful season of Auburn, if not all of college football. Because all of this is staying within the SEC, commissioner Mike Slive has a severe misfortune to be reckoned with. Eight years ago, when he stepped in as the overseer, his intent was to ensure that every school rids probation, but as it turns out, it only has gotten worse. Once again, the SEC is turning into the conference of cheaters, sleazes and dumbasses.

Who is at fault?

Who really knows?

There are allegations all the time in the SEC.

“It’s unfortunate and sad because they seem intent on tearing down the reputation of a young man,” Auburn athletic director Jay Jacobs said Tuesday morning.

Ahem, excuse me, there are no enforcers in this, but enablers.

Apparently, Auburn doesn’t care nor does the SEC. It wasn’t long ago that Slive allowed Lane Kiffin to commit his violations at Tennessee before he fled the university and accepted the coaching job at Southern California. Remember that? This scandal leaves a mark on the conference and the frontrunner for the Heisman, not only bruising his chances to win the award, but also delaying what could be a potential fifth consecutive national championship within the conference.

As for Newton, he is guilty in the public view and has already been paralleled to Reggie Bush, the infamous former USC star. So now, all we want is the truth to avoid another misleading saga, which is why we hear Newton’s name in the media periodically. The sad thing is, his father, Ceil, is a preacher and has been the focal point of the investigation.

Come on, Newton. Deliver the truth.

Cowboys, Vikings Fragile Farce Calls for Vital Culture Change

If we can feel sorry for a wealthy owner who mostly morphed into an egomaniacal weasel, just so he can control the most successful franchise in football now in disarray, then we are currently mandated to feel some sympathy for Jerry Jones and the Dallas Cowboys.

In Minnesota, of course, it was unawareness and desperateness that diminished the Minnesota Vikings, tarnishing the favorable team in the NFC North division as a crisis in the locker room lurks and recklessly has doomed chemistry.

Consider it a fragile disaster, the worse storm to ever hit a pair of franchises with traditionally plenty of fortunate and good history. So now we gaze at each team, currently mired in turmoil for travails that have turned inevitable at a time when we are pathetically watching the Cowboys and Vikings self-destruct and fade out of the postseason equation. It is, without a doubt, the most unfamiliar dilemma involving two franchises in the history of the sport.

There’s a glaring understanding as to why the Vikings are suffocating in these circumstances, while the absurdity and tension draws unnecessary drama. It’s as if owner Zygi Wilf barely noticed the discontent of fans loudly begging for a change in leadership in order to salvage a miserable season from toppling entirely.


It’s clearly a lot of pressure on Brad Childress, now that the Vikings are falling apart. By the time Childress emerged from the tunnel on Sunday, the malcontent Vikings faithful serenaded boos and chanted “Fire Childress!” unpleasant choruses heard throughout the afternoon.

All true.

Now is the time to fire Childress, just as it’s time to jettison Phillips, two coaches who have lost control of their players and no longer can emphasize a precise message or enlighten their teams to play with urgency. This is how it will be for Minnesota, until Childress is canned by his loyal boss.

It took almost half of the season before team executives running the Vikings realized that Childress is too passive and soft in taking charge within a franchise in vital need of discipline and motivation. The bearing concept of losing self-confidence is because of Childress’ liberal demeanor, allowing his players to enact too freely.

“I think they came expecting to see an execution,” Childress said. “And it ended up a pretty good football game at the end.

And on Sunday, fans were hoisting signs that said “Fire Chilly”—with crowd waiting anxiously for Childress to be fired, an overwhelming population distraught ever since he was involved in a screaming and verbal dispute with receiver, Percy Harvin, who also applauded New England.

There’s a sense that most of the Vikings players weren’t enamored with Childress after he inadvisedly dumped gifted receiver Randy Moss. At that point, he and Moss were unable to coexist, but now it’s certain he cannot flourish with the rest of his players.

In all honesty, the guys’ respect level has tapered. And eternally, of course, they have lost trust in Childress, just as well as the disgruntled supporters. With exactly 10,000 signatures imploring for Childress’ ouster, firing him instantly rids all the interruptions and havoc. So, as much talk escalated when Childress carelessly cut star receiver Moss, brought in 26 days earlier and then fabricated what took place following his unexpected release, Wilf was circumvented by Childress.

What is pathetic is that he wasn’t manly and had never discussed the issue over with his team owner. In the most nauseous week, Wilf was incensed and considered keeping Moss and firing Childress. After all the craziness in the past week, he seems a bit livid and unhappy with his coach.

If so, then firing Childress resolve troubles that has pernicious a flawed team.

As for the Cowboys, the logical assumption of a fragile team on the brink of mischief is that firing Phillips is merely the remedy for resuscitating America’s team. This has been a season like no other, bothered by tremendous shame and disgrace.

This is a peculiar age in the history of the Dallas Cowboys, a famous team traditionally known for winning and advancing atop each season. It seems the concept is losing each game, as we gather a national avowal and ridicule the Cowboys, renaming the over praised franchise the girly Cowgirls.

We clearly know that times are fragile because we almost witness the Cowboys being toppled against any opponent these days. By the time it all ended Sunday night at Green Bay, where the ‘Boys were embarrassed and discovered sitting on the sideline wearing long faces in despair, Jones stared down onto the field from the press box in distressed. By the time the Cowboys were trounced in a 45-7 demolition to the Packers, Jones was swarmed by reporters and unhappily talked about an unavailing season.

“There are a lot of people here who are certainly going to suffer and suffer consequences,” a bleak Jones said. “I’m talking about within the team, players, coaches, who have got careers. This is certainly a setback. I know first hand what it is to have high expectations.”

Afterward the dreary annihilation, Phillips admittedly said it was paltry coaching.

“We looked like a bad football team—with bad coaching.”

No, the Cowboys looked like a girly football team, with no guidance.


The theory here is that Jones desires bringing aboard a jellyfish as his head coach. And so, he’ll likely be smarter by phoning Bill Cowher to restructure a poorly coached franchise, albeit he refuses to address the team’s necessities and hasn’t corrected the unquestionably problems.

Turns out, from listening to Jones, he sounds like a person guilty for putting together a brand of talent but hiring a phlegmatic coach with a dense mindset, which has eradicated the morale and the positive disposition of a dispirited team.

“But we have so many things that we need to correct and address, as this game so vividly exposed and previous games have,” Jones said. “I’ve got a lot of work to do, got a lot of decisions to make. And it’s not just one, two, three or four. There are several decisions. I think everybody in this country would agree that there’s a lot wrong with this team that we’ve got to address, and I’m certainly the one to address it.”

In our lifetimes, this is by far the worse Cowboys team we’ve ever seen. A lot of football lords are shedding in tears, worried about the welfare of Jones and his Cowboys.

For now, however, Jones stands by Phillips and has urged everyone that he’ll retain him as head coach until the end of the season. By now, Cowboys fans should be staging a funeral for Phillips outside of the colossal palace that Jones invested billions in creations.

Are the Cowboys done? Certainly. The only thing worth playing for is pride, if that.

Just so you know, Phillips is the equivalent of Childress. But once a upon a time, Phillips seemed like the right guy for the job earlier during his regime, but he already had a fundamentally sound core that future Hall of Famer Bill Parcells assembled. Aside from all this drama in Dallas, courtesy of the soap opera transpiring in the land of 10,000 lakes, Childress is just as bad.


He wasn’t always doomed, though, but now his job security just like Phillips is called into question. He is, indeed, a spongy mentor and allowed Brett Favre to selfishly hold the Vikings hostage in his offseason charade. Remember the time when he chastised his star running back Adrian Peterson for missing a mandatory practice, but allowed the veteran Favre to skip out on training camp and minicamps.

Needless to say, this is now the time for the ‘Boys and Vikes to react.

This calls for a vital culture change.

For Cam Newton, Heisman Is on the Line, but Remains Top in Campaign

This has been a horrible college football season, overshadowed like never before by all the NCAA infractions and allegations involving popular names to stain a noteworthy season.

Between the fraudulent scandals and unsound formula in a watchful sport we are blinded to the positives in the game, particularly startled by the latest misstep circling Cam Newton, a frontrunner in the Heisman campaign, who is reportedly under investigation.

The latest accusations centers Newton ranked as the top-notch quarterback in the nation with arguably the deepest threat in the country. But almost simultaneously, the Auburn Tigers are causing anxiety not only for a storied program, but the SEC conference where the university poses as a problem.

Although it seems that the Tigers are unbeatable in a season when they might be on the verge to the national title scene with Newton’s rushing ability almost owning identical numbers as Oregon’s LaMichael James, he’s embroiled in an unpleasant debate while his team is on a possible run for a BCS berth.

The brand of scandals in the past makes it hard to believe anything that surface into headlines, and the latest hearsay in regards of portraying corruption is an ESPN.com report. As early as Thursday, it was clearly glaring allegations that Kenneth Rogers, a former Mississippi State player who claimed to be representing former recruit Newton, sought payments from Mississippi State to sign with the school.

If there is some truth that an associate of the Newton family begged in seeking payments for Newton to enroll at Mississippi State, the brightest star midway in the season could frankly jeopardize his eligibility.

If there is some truth that he foolishly accepted any improper benefits, it could presumably cost the junior quarterback his shot at claiming the Heisman award. The state of this crisis is unknown, although Newton’s father, Cecil, denied the allegations and said that nobody represented his family.

“It’s not true,” Newton’s father said Thursday night. “The allegations are completely unfounded, and we’ve retained an attorney. That’s all I can say at this time.”

We’ll soon find out whether this is a lie or true. Until then, he’s stuck in a lingering predicament with his fame and fortune in jeopardy, including earning the stiff-armed award. For what all seems inevitable, he is still highly regarded to be given the award and has been described as the most immaculate, athletic star this season.

It’s unfortunate that a dark cloud hovers infamously over a stellar Auburn season, a moment when the young stars are having an immediate impact on a program in conversations for clinching a BCS berth.

“I will say this very loud and clear,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Thursday night. “Cam Newton is eligible at Auburn University. Period. End of story.”

Normally, if a player’s eligibility is drawing uncertainty, the university decides to bench him until the problem is resolved. From this scenario, though, the Tigers national title hopes can dwindle by benching Newton.

This has been a horrible college football season, overshadowed like never before by all the NCAA infractions and allegations involving popular names to stain a noteworthy season.

Between the fraudulent scandals and unsound formula in a watchful sport we are blinded to the positives in the game, particularly startled by the latest misstep circling Cam Newton, a frontrunner in the Heisman campaign, who is reportedly under investigation.

The latest accusations centers Newton ranked as the top-notch quarterback in the nation with arguably the deepest threat in the country. But almost simultaneously, the Auburn Tigers are causing anxiety not only for a storied program, but the SEC conference where the university poses as a problem.

Although it seems that the Tigers are unbeatable in a season when they might be on the verge to the national title scene with Newton’s rushing ability almost owning identical numbers as Oregon’s LaMichael James, he’s embroiled in an unpleasant debate while his team is on a possible run for a BCS berth.

The brand of scandals in the past makes it hard to believe anything that surface into headlines, and the latest hearsay in regards of portraying corruption is an ESPN.com report. As early as Thursday, it was clearly glaring allegations that Kenneth Rogers, a former Mississippi State player who claimed to be representing former recruit Newton, sought payments from Mississippi State to sign with the school.

If there is some truth that an associate of the Newton family begged in seeking payments for Newton to enroll at Mississippi State, the brightest star midway in the season could frankly jeopardize his eligibility.

If there is some truth that he foolishly accepted any improper benefits, it could presumably cost the junior quarterback his shot at claiming the Heisman award. The state of this crisis is unknown, although Newton’s father, Cecil, denied the allegations and said that nobody represented his family.

“It’s not true,” Newton’s father said Thursday night. “The allegations are completely unfounded, and we’ve retained an attorney. That’s all I can say at this time.”

We’ll soon find out whether this is a lie or true. Until then, he’s stuck in a lingering predicament with his fame and fortune in jeopardy, including earning the stiff-armed award. For what all seems inevitable, he is still highly regarded to be given the award and has been described as the most immaculate, athletic star this season.

It’s unfortunate that a dark cloud hovers infamously over a stellar Auburn season, a moment when the young stars are having an immediate impact on a program in conversations for clinching a BCS berth.

“I will say this very loud and clear,” Auburn coach Gene Chizik said Thursday night. “Cam Newton is eligible at Auburn University. Period. End of story.”

Normally, if a player’s eligibility is drawing uncertainty, the university decides to bench him until the problem is resolved. From this scenario, though, the Tigers national title hopes can dwindle by benching Newton.

All season, he has been the centerpiece in a high-powered offense, guiding a paramount team into the national landscape, increasingly uplifting the relevancy at a university with sturdy offensive weapons and a coach in the running for a national coach of the year award.

As of now, it’s not telling what Rogers demanded of Auburn in regards of manipulating Newton’s motive of opting to enroll elsewhere. In many ways, Newton has been far superior among elite quarterbacks this season, single-handedly keeping Auburn in good position to bid for the BCS national title game.

At this point, he has the versatility and agility as a passer and scrambler and has thus far compiled outstanding numbers each week.

If it was ever glaring evidence, he would absolutely be perceived differently as not only a player, but a person. The SEC, by all standards, is universally verified as the toughest conference in college football, and it would be a misguided theory to discount Newton’s success on the field, despite yet another unfortunate, unbearable accusation.

But now, the scorching news across the NCAA is Newton. Not surprisingly, he is the talk, but surprisingly we are not talking about his 1,500 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing while amassing 30 touchdowns.

Instead, on the other hand, we are talking about an ugly scandal that continuously causes havoc at an illustrious university. In terms of history that has been engraved in the SEC this season alone, he is clearly the most dazzling quarterback in the deepest conference ever.

What’s more, he’s a priceless piece in Auburn’s framework, posing as an efficient and productive star in the South and traditionally building upon a legacy at a famous program. The folksy people in parts of the smaller towns near Auburn are embracing Newton, confident that he can lead the Tigers to an unbeaten season and play on the biggest stage.

Though some are frowning and remain worried about the uncertainty of the pending allegations, he is still a likable athlete and has bloomed as a local icon in a community embracing its football.

About a few weeks ago, you could have argued that he wasn’t worthy of the Heisman. But apparently he’s clearly worthy of winning the Heisman, particularly if his name is cleared of any infractions. He’s the spotless athlete everyone loves to appreciate.

Like the rest of us, he’s denying the allegations but is concerned with leading his teammates during a season of improbability. Maybe he’ll win the Heisman by a large margin, when he has carried the ball 168 times for 14 touchdowns and has been on pace to emerge as the second player in NCAA history to pass for 20 touchdowns and rush for 20 touchdowns in one season.

Maybe they cannot play without Newton, who truly believes he has done nothing wrong and has been honest since the accusations were acknowledged.

Now that he’s linked to the ugliest mess in football, he’s still one of the best in the game today. As for most fans, they are pretty skeptical and optimistic, reluctant in believing this ongoing saga.

With the Iron Bowl coming ever so quickly, the pending investigation can not only diminish his Heisman votes but also bring forth distractions in a pivotal meeting with Alabama and in the SEC championship game.

Then again, it may even inspire Newton to play a bit harder and come out with a different mentality.


All season, he has been the centerpiece in a high-powered offense, guiding a paramount team into the national landscape, increasingly uplifting the relevancy at a university with sturdy offensive weapons and a coach in the running for a national coach of the year award.

As of now, it’s not telling what Rogers demanded of Auburn in regards of manipulating Newton’s motive of opting to enroll elsewhere. In many ways, Newton has been far superior among elite quarterbacks this season, single-handedly keeping Auburn in good position to bid for the BCS national title game.

At this point, he has the versatility and agility as a passer and scrambler and has thus far compiled outstanding numbers each week.

If it was ever glaring evidence, he would absolutely be perceived differently as not only a player, but a person. The SEC, by all standards, is universally verified as the toughest conference in college football, and it would be a misguided theory to discount Newton’s success on the field, despite yet another unfortunate, unbearable accusation.

But now, the scorching news across the NCAA is Newton. Not surprisingly, he is the talk, but surprisingly we are not talking about his 1,500 yards passing and 1,000 yards rushing while amassing 30 touchdowns.

Instead, on the other hand, we are talking about an ugly scandal that continuously causes havoc at an illustrious university. In terms of history that has been engraved in the SEC this season alone, he is clearly the most dazzling quarterback in the deepest conference ever.

What’s more, he’s a priceless piece in Auburn’s framework, posing as an efficient and productive star in the South and traditionally building upon a legacy at a famous program. The folksy people in parts of the smaller towns near Auburn are embracing Newton, confident that he can lead the Tigers to an unbeaten season and play on the biggest stage.

Though some are frowning and remain worried about the uncertainty of the pending allegations, he is still a likable athlete and has bloomed as a local icon in a community embracing its football.

About a few weeks ago, you could have argued that he wasn’t worthy of the Heisman. But apparently he’s clearly worthy of winning the Heisman, particularly if his name is cleared of any infractions. He’s the spotless athlete everyone loves to appreciate.

Like the rest of us, he’s denying the allegations but is concerned with leading his teammates during a season of improbability. Maybe he’ll win the Heisman by a large margin, when he has carried the ball 168 times for 14 touchdowns and has been on pace to emerge as the second player in NCAA history to pass for 20 touchdowns and rush for 20 touchdowns in one season.

Maybe they cannot play without Newton, who truly believes he has done nothing wrong and has been honest since the accusations were acknowledged.

Now that he’s linked to the ugliest mess in football, he’s still one of the best in the game today. As for most fans, they are pretty skeptical and optimistic, reluctant in believing this ongoing saga.

With the Iron Bowl coming ever so quickly, the pending investigation can not only diminish his Heisman votes but also bring forth distractions in a pivotal meeting with Alabama and in the SEC championship game.

Then again, it may even inspire Newton to play a bit harder and come out with a different mentality.