Tuesday, September 16, 2008

Tuesday 09/16 A.M. Quickie:
DeSean, T.O., Rays, Red Sox, Oregon, More

You can talk about last night's game between arguably the two best teams in the NFL. You can talk about T.O.'s 2-TD, milestone-setting performance. You can talk about Brian Westbrook's fantasy value.

But wouldn't you rather talk about DeSean Jackson and that wonderfully ludicrous play where he celebrated a TD bomb from McNabb by...dropping the ball before he got into the end zone? That's the lead of today's SN column.

I don't mind admitting: I watched about 3 minutes of MNF last night -- and it happened to be right before that play happened, then the ensuing replay and review. It was amazing.

Even more amazing: The guy did the same thing at a high-school all-star game. How can you not love DeSean Jackson? He's so talented, yet such a buffoon. He is what makes the NFL great; the NFL simply can't legislate away true buffoonery.

Meanwhile, I am not worried about the Rays. I am not worried about the Rays. I am not worried about the Rays, because -- while HFA is nice -- the division title is subordinate to simply making the playoffs, period. And the Rays have a 7-game lead on the Twins for the Wild Card.

Yes, they have 2 more against the Red Sox -- who DO seem motivated by the division title. And then they have 4 head-to-head with the Twins. If the Rays drop all 6 and the Twins win... well, THEN I'll get worried. Otherwise, with even a handful of wins before the weekend is over, the Wild Card race is as good as over.

Can't say the same thing about the Mets, who seem hell-bent on missing the playoffs again. This time, they won't collapse -- they'll simply dwindle. That is: Unless the Brewers psyche themselves out of the race entirely. Yes, firing your manager with 12 games to go -- and still very much in playoff contention -- is a remarkably good idea. That team must have HATED Ned Yost.

Finally, Oregon will be without QB Justin Roper for 2-4 weeks -- and they play USC in 3 weeks. It just adds to a theory I'm working on that if USC, the Big 12 champ and the SEC champ all end the season undefeated, there is no way USC should be ranked ahead of either of the other two. Not with the sorry strength of schedule (where then-overrated Ohio State is the headliner) that the Trojans are bringing to the table. More on that later.

Complete SN column here.

Thanks for the BlogPoll feedback. I'll have the 2.0 (and final) version up later this morning.

-- D.S.

No comments: