Friday, November 07, 2008

Friday 11/07 A.M. Quickie:
Broncos, Brandon, Brady, BCS, Bissinger

Great to see the awesome turnout last night at Varsity Letters: Drew and Steinberg were hilarious, and Bissinger wowed with a very dramatic reading from Friday Night Lights and "3 Nights."

Meanwhile, Brandon Marshall is kind of a chucklehead -- a T.O./Chad Johnson wannabe. (See his belated attempt to "come back" at Joey Porter earlier this week.)

But, leading today's SN column, I think his heart (if not his head) was in the right place last night when he attempted to pull a John Carlos/Tommie Smith and raise a fist encased in a black-and-white glove.

What was his point? To celebrate the new national unity symbolized by the election of Barack Obama. Again: Heart in the right place.

He was dissuaded from doing it by his teammates, nervous about the impact of a personal foul late in a close game they just took the lead in after a crazy 4th-quarter comeback.

But the question lingers: Would we -- fans -- have been better off if he had done it and we could openly talk/debate/argue about what Marshall was trying to do and how he did it?

Meanwhile, Utah is zeroing in on a BCS-busting at-large bid for a non-BCS team. TCU was a really good team; maybe if the game wasn't in SLC, TCU wins. But the fact is, Utah is still unbeaten; their schedule played is tougher than any other non-BCS team in the conversation (Boise St) -- hell, their schedule played is arguably tougher than USC's right now. And, unlike the Trojans, Utah BEAT Oregon State. They are a worthy BCS party-crasher.

Big weekend in college football -- they're all big, aren't they? But if Penn State is going to get tripped up, it's going to be at Iowa. And if Alabama is going to get tripped up, it's going to be at LSU. And if USC is going to get tripped up (again), it's going to be vs. Cal. Weekly preview coming later, as usual.

NBA: (1) Brandon Roy is so money. (2) Is Gerald Wallace getting traded? (3) Who will score more in their new-team debuts: Iverson or Billups?

MLB: Does anyone really think the Padres would trade Peavy to the Dodgers? I think he ends up with the Cubs. Meanwhile, why isn't every team trying to get Matt Holliday? It's fascinating that he could wind up with Philly. What a coup that would be.

Complete SN column here. More later.

-- D.S.

1 comment:

Unknown said...

The problem with acquiring Matt Holliday, or any other walk year stud, is in the reality of cost versus expected return. How much ransom will Colorado hold you up for, talent wise,, and how much money will it take to keep him long term. In this offseason, more than most - just look at the flood of such cases - C.C, Manny, Tex (who himself was dealt by the Braves less than a year after acquiring him, when they realized the contract demands would be prohibitive), - perhaps most teams would rather just make a run at him financially after next season, and hold on to their young talent as well.
Oh, and is it just me, or could you not imagine Chris Berman calling the replay of B. Roy's dagger last night like this: "Brandon "don't be coy" Roy... from somewhere near Eugene - that shot was back back back - and this young team could... go.... all... the ... way!" Or maybe it's just me?
Sam T.