American Sports Discussion (ie, Apolyton US Sports Bar)

[Drake Tungsten]

Great week of football and after realizing that Baltimore is 7-7 and COULD STILL MAKE THE PLAYOFFS

You gotta love the thrilling and important NFL regular season. I hope college football becomes just like it.

[SlowwHand]

What do you do if you're running the Zoo that is Bengal football?

Two words. Herschel Walker. No, no. Not talking him out of retirement, trading Dillon for draft picks.
But to who? Texas, maybe ? They seem to have a decent defense in the works. A young QB.
So maybe Cincinnati trades their 2nd for Texas' 1st, their 3rd for Texas 2nd, and so on as far as they can take it ?

[Dis]

They should win with Dillon. Would it kill them to draft an offensive line worth a ****? Dillon is their best hope. Just concentrate on an Offensive line, a good tight end, recievers, and a good QB (with all new coaches as well) and then at least they can put up some points. Defense can wait till later.

[SlowwHand]

The Bengals have too many holes. Dillon is good, but he can't be the sole horse, just as Walker couldn't be.
Defense? Defense can't wait. That's what happened to them so far, and wasted Dillon.
Nope. Only choice. Trade him, gather picks, improve the whole team, as able.

[Imran Siddiqui]

The Braves retool:

http://espn.go.com/mlb/news/2002/1217/1478382.html

They trade Damian Moss and minor leaguer Manuel Mateo for Russ Ortiz of the Giants. And sign Paul Byrd.

I think trading Moss is a major mistake. He's the next Maddux in my mind. Ortiz is good, but Moss will be great.

I wonder if Paul Byrd is going to be as good as he was last year. I'm not sure if he is.

So the Braves rotation is NOW:
Maddux
Hampton
Ortiz
Millwood
Byrd

Not bad, but not Glavine and Maddux .

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You gotta love the thrilling and important NFL regular season. I hope college football becomes just like it.

I know you are being sarcastic, but I have to agree with the statement! 14 out of the 16 teams in the AFC can get a playoff spot!! Only Houston and Cincy are out of it! And over in the NFC you have 3 teams fighting for home field advantage, which will determine who probably goes to the SuperBowl. How much more exciting can it get?!

I'll take this over college football anyday!

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They should win with Dillon. Would it kill them to draft an offensive line worth a ****? Dillon is their best hope. Just concentrate on an Offensive line, a good tight end, recievers, and a good QB (with all new coaches as well) and then at least they can put up some points. Defense can wait till later.

Exactly!! Forget about Defense or even drafting Palmer this year. Trade the 1st pick down (like San Diego did a few years back) and keep trading down. Get a bunch of GOOD offensive linemen. A good OL can cure a lot of things.

[SlowwHand]

Trade down. You watch too much Jerry Jones.

Who do you think is the leading rusher over the last 3 years, cumulative?

[Imran Siddiqui]

Trade down. You watch too much Jerry Jones.

No, I watch too much Bill Walsh .

That's how the 49ers got that dynasty. Walsh traded down about 4 times and got something like 13 picks in 7 rounds in 1979 and picked a LOT of great players in the 3rd and 4th rounds.

The Bengals need to do that with the pick. I'm sure the Bears would like to pick Palmer with the first pick .

[SlowwHand]

Well. since you want to argue opinions instead of answering question...


Curtis Martin

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Imran,

Did you hear something I didn't. Maddux is still up in the air at present, no? Lot of talk that his game may be dropping off at a more precipitous rate than Glavine's due to his relatively poor conditioing efforts combined with aging process.

True Glavine stunk up the joint in the last part of the season and post season but..... the knock is out 'gainst Maddux.

Great point on the excitement of the regular NFL season and how it means nothing in comparison to the all important NCAA regular season.

[JohnT]

Both pitchers are getting on in years, and it is likely that neither can last a full season anymore. I truly hope that Smoltz understands that his ticket to the Hall of Fame lies with him remaining a closer - 4 or 5 more years of 40+ saves (and maybe one more Cy Young) gives him quite a career: 163 wins, 118 loss, and 265 saves.

I want Glavine to reach 300, but I hope he does so just over the length of his contract - he needs 56, so give him 14 wins a year and that'll do it.

I think Maddux is already in the Hall, especially with only 27 wins needed for 300. His season W-L record hasn't been below .500 since 1987 - a span of 15 straight years! By the way, he is in arbitration with the Braves along with a number of players.

My Georgia Southern Eagles lost their game. The Falcons are sucking it up. Miami beat Va-Tech, leaving my Dawgs to play for #2. God must be displeased with me.

FSU just sacked Chris Rix for the Sugar Bowl for curfew violations, meaning that they are starting their #3 quarterback. I think he is gone for the game.

[Imran Siddiqui]

FSU just sacked Chris Rix for the Sugar Bowl for curfew violations

Actually it was for missing a final. I wonder how you do that?

Great point on the excitement of the regular NFL season and how it means nothing in comparison to the all important NCAA regular season.

I was saying the NFL regular season was better than the NCAA regular season this year. The season obviously means something when there are only 6 spots and 13 teams vying for those spots this late in the year (in the AFC).

Did you hear something I didn't. Maddux is still up in the air at present, no?

Apparently it seems Maddux is very close to re-signing with Atlanta.

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WSU'S PRICE IS GOING TO 'BAMA

http://espn.go.com/ncf/bowls02/s/rose_pricetakesbama.html

WSU's coach is taking the vacant spot at Alabama. Good choice? Bad choice? Obviously both are good teams, but WSU is his team, while 'Bama is still Franchione's team.

[Tuberski]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui

WSU'S PRICE IS GOING TO 'BAMA

WSU's coach is taking the vacant spot at Alabama. Good choice? Bad choice? Obviously both are good teams, but WSU is his team, while 'Bama is still Franchione's team.

Funny you should mention that, Mike price used to coach football a Weber State University in my hometown of Ogden, Utah.

Everytime I see WSU and Mike Price, it time warps me to the '80's.

(Of course, Back then it was Weber State College)




ACK!

[Vlad Antlerkov]

Speaking of the Hall, here's the Veterans' Committee ballot for this year:

http://www.baseballhalloffame.org/hofers_and_honorees/veterans/2003/2003_vet_committee_candidates.htm

I'd vote for Minnie Minoso, Ron Santo, and Joe Torre for players, and Whitey Herzog for non-players.

As for Greg Maddux, he's a lock for a first-ballot induction (unless he has the horrible bad luck of being eligible the same year as Barry Bonds and Roger Clemens).

I'm rooting for Clemens to notch #300, preferably AGAINST the Yankees.

[Imran Siddiqui]

In the Vet's ballot:

Thurman Munson
Don Newcombe
Joe Torre
Bobby Bonds
(Mickey Lolich just misses out)

NON-PLAYERS:

August Busch, Jr.
Whitey Herzog
Marvin Miller
Walter O'Malley

[Ogie Oglethorpe]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
I was saying the NFL regular season was better than the NCAA regular season this year. The season obviously means something when there are only 6 spots and 13 teams vying for those spots this late in the year (in the AFC).

Sorry my sarcasm doesn't translate well.
I of course knew that you meant the NFL has a meaningful regular season and agree whole heartedly. My position is the same as yours, Ming, etal (with only a handful of diehard traditionalists not seeing the light) on the whole NCAA playoff issues if you recall.