NFC Championship 2010: the Saints crawfish bead the Vikings

Well, the Indianapolis Colts out-shined the New York Jets in the AFC Championship game.  Which NFC team would be butting heads with the Colts at Super Bowl XLIV?  Would the Minnesota Vikings bring in the cold and mead or would the New Orleans Saints ferry over some rhythm and blues?  Televised by Fox, with commentary by Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, the Vikings went on offense first.  Running back Adrian Peterson made a touchdown at the end of this possession.  Saints running back Pierre Thomas tied the game with a TD run when his team got the ball.   Minnesota 7 and New Orleans 0.  Brett Favre connected with wide receiver Sidney Rice towards the bottom of the quarter, giving the Vikings seven more points.  Minnesota 14 and New Orleans 7.

The second quarter started with the Saints tying the game once again with a TD connection between Drew Brees and wide receiver Devery Henderson.  Minnesota 14 and New Orleans 14.  The second quarter drew to a close with the Vikings recovering a muffed punt to the ten-yard line and then Adrian Peterson losing control of the ball.

The Saints charged into the third quarter with a Pierre Thomas TD.  New Orleans 21 and Minnesota 14 (televised slow-motion replays revealed that Thomas’s left knee hit the ground before the ball crossed the goal line).  Adrian Peterson lost control of the ball on the Vikings next possession, but his teammate fullback Naufahu Tahi jumped on the ball.  With the legs and grip of tight end Visanthe Shiancoe, who moved the ball down the field, Adrian Peterson was able to put another TD on board.  New Orleans 21 and Minnesota 21.  Peterson recovered his own fumbled ball nearing the bottom of the third quarter.  Three times a lady fumble!  Minutes later, Brett Favre was intercepted by Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma.   Favre was brought down to the ground hard and had to hop off the field with a teammate on either side of him.

The top of the fourth quarter indicated ostensibly that the Vikings were getting sloppy Joey with their game-play.  There was another loose ball.  Saints defensive tackle Remi Ayodele got a hold of the ball after it rolled away from players on both teams.  Saints running back Reggie Bush managed to break the bottom right corner of the end zone for a TD.  New Orleans 28 and Minnesota 21.  Just when it seemed like Minnesota was closing the offensive gap, the ball gets away from them and Vilma nabbed it.  Luckily for the Vikings, the Saints didn’t score.  When Minnesota returned to offense, Adrian Peterson ended up breaking the plane.  New Orleans 28 and Minnesota 28.  The Vikings were playing the fourth-down-and-goal yo-yo and instead of getting his kicker to a decent yard-line, he threw an interception.  Cornerback Tracy Porter cradled that prolate spheroid like it was a free puppy.

Can we spell O-V-E-R-T-I-M-E?  The Saints won the coin toss.  Kicker Garrett Hartley’s forty-yard field goal attempt was good.  New Orleans 31 and Minnesota 28.  The New Orleans Saints are the NFC Champions and will send some rhythm and blues to Super Bowl XLIV.

Observations & Miscellania:

1.  Joe Buck wore a light gray suit, a light blue button-down shirt, and a caramel-bronze tie.  Troy Aikman wore a dark navy suit, a white button-down shirt, and a metallic gray tie.  The juxtaposition was a bit odd.

2.  Kris Allen sang the National Anthem.  I would say that Jordin Sparks did a much better job singing in the AFC Championship game.  She sang like she meant it; he belted like he didn’t want to mess up.

3.  The Vikings wore white jerseys and the Saints wore black.

4.  The Saints have a life-sized pound-puppy of a mascot.

5.  Sidney Rice did a little shoulder shake in the end zone after he made the TD catch in the first quarter.

6.  If you watched this game or have been following the Vikings in the news, then you know that Brett Favre and many of the offensive players wore ear plugs.

7.  Drew Brees launched the ball into the back right corner of the end zone in the second quarter; Devery Henderson flew to it like a bird of prey snatching up a field mouse.

8.  Vikings safety Madieu Williams’s first name is perverted French for “my god.”  “Dieu” is masculine, so “my god” should be “mon dieu.”

9.  George Bush Sr. and his wife Barbara were in attendance.  I believe the former President was wearing a dark navy suit, a white button-down shirt and a red shirt.

10. Who’s going to have the most sleepless night: Adrian Peterson, Brett Favre, Brad Childress, or Zygi Wilf?

Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

NFL Playoffs 2010: the Saints grind down the Cardinals

Who want’s to go to the NFC Championship?  The Arizona Cardinals and the New Orleans Saints do.  Broadcast on Fox, their face-to-face session started with a seventy-yard touchdown run by Cardinals running back Tim Hightower.  The Saints quickly tied the game with a TD by running back Lynell Hamilton.  Arizona 7 and New Orleans 7.  Cardinals quarterback Kurt Warner threw to wide receiver Jerheme Urban, who lost the ball when Saints cornerback Randall Gay knocked it loose and safety Darren Sharper recovered it.  A few plays later, Saints quarterback Drew Brees connected with tight end Jeremy Schockey for a TD in the middle of the first quarter.   Saints running back Reggie Bush made escaped a handful of Cardinals defense players and took the ball into the end zone.  New Orleans 21 and Arizona 7.

Cardinals running back Beanie Wells sauntered into the end zone in the top of second quarter.  New Orleans 21 and Arizona 14.  The Saints went right on huffing and puffing with another TD, thanks to wide receiver Devery Henderson.  With just a few minutes before halftime, Kurt Warner threw an interception into the able-bodied Saints defensive end Will Smith.  Saints wide receiver Marques Colston caught a TD pass with a minute left in the first half.  New Orleans 35 and Arizona 14.  Matt Leinart went in as QB for Kurt Warner in the bottom of the quarter.

Kurt Warner returned in the third quarter.  The Saints sent up their first field goal not long after the second half began.  New Orleans 38 and Arizona 14.  When the Cardinals punted the ball away (for the second time in the third?), Reggie Bush ran the ball eighty-three yards back for a TD.  The longest punt-return in post-season NFL history.  Leinart reprised his QB role in the fourth quarter without any fruit for reaping.   New Orleans 45 and Arizona 14. Final score.  The Saints just marched their obsidian and gold little selves one step closer to the big game.

Observations & Miscellania:

1.  Kenny Albert and Daryl Johnston were the commentators.  They both wore purple ties.  Albert’s was a light, sold hue.  Johnston’s was patterned with red.

2.  Jeremy Shockey’s first quarter TD was followed by his rolling backward and doing a semi-handstand.

3.  Reggie Bush punctuated his first quarter TD with a little side-step-finger-snapping dance.  The camera then cut to Saints fans mimicking it. Seconds later, the camera cut to a medium shot of Kim Kadarshian.  Is she dating the Bush?

4.  “Like a pack of wolves, these guys are huttin’ now,” Tony Siragusa remarked of the New Orleans defense in the bottom of the first quarter.

5.  Kurt Warner was pinned to the ground after he was intercepted by Will Smith.  The camera cut to an extreme close-up of his supine body.  At one point, I could read him mouthing, “I’m okay now.”

6.  Former NFL commissioner Paul Tagliabue was in attendance.

7.  Cardinals wide receiver Larry Fitzgerald made a beautiful jump-and-catch in the top of the third quarter.  The slow-motion replay gave it a majestic quality.

Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

~!~

For the love of gargamel.  Tim Tebow was meant to exist as a human being and no other creature; meant to be male and have a talent for the football.  Sa mere could’ve put herself in front of a hungry lion and he’d still have been born.  The issue isn’t whether or not abortion is evil or wrong or it shouldn’t be a choice.  Just like the postman, neither snow, nor rain, nor heat, nor gloom of night can keep a life from its first breath.

I won’t legislate your faith if you won’t impose your faith on my choices.

NFL 2009: Saints absolve the Falcons

Before I begin with the post-proper, I have to share something that I saw this morning while I was on my Starbux run.  I was driving down the street and saw a fifteen or sixteen-year old guy walking on the sidewalk on the same side of the road I was driving but in the opposite direction (we were facing each other).  I was possibly eight car-lenghths away from him when I noticed a small sedan drive by and splash him.  The youth turned around and patted the back of his head and neck.  I checked my rearview mirror and saw that no cars were behind me, so I approached very slowly.  Had I had a towel in my car, I probably would’ve rolled down the window when I got to where he was standing and asked, “Hey, I saw that … would you like a towel for your head?”

But, I didn’t have a towel.  Moreover, I wouldn’t have wanted to startle him just by saying that I saw what happened and if he was okay.  Of course he was okay…just a bit wet.  I did what any considerate, courteous driver would do, I drove very slowly over that puddle.  The youth was still looking in the direction that the splasher was headed; in my rearview mirror, I observed the boy putting his hand up in acknowledgement.  He probably realized that I had seen him get splashed and did my best not to do the same thing.

All right.  The New Orleans Saints crossed over into east coast time in an effort to maintain their all-win season this afternoon at the Georgia Dome.  The Atlanta Falcons, once more without quarterback Matt Ryan and running back Michael Turner, didn’t perform — haven’t performed as well as they know they can, and we know they can.  Whatever the explanations, elaborations, and legitimate excuses, would the Falcons be able to muster and channel energy and confidence sufficiently to interrupt the Saints’ perfect season?

Broadcast on Fox, with commentary provided by Joe Buck and Troy Aikman, the first quarter started with the Falcons on offense.  Chris Redman reprised his role as QB; Sam Baker was back in the game today.  Running back Jason Snelling made a solid impression early in the drive with a thirty-eight yard run.  The Falcons put up the first score with a thirty-six yard Matt Bryant field goal.  Atlanta 3 and New Orleans 0.  One needn’t wonder what the Saints would do in reaction.  Shall we say red zone pronto? But no to touchdown, yes to field goal.  The Falcons made another field goal at the end of their second possession.  Atlanta 6 and New Orleans 3.

The second quarter banged out with the Saints in the red zone following a stellar pass between quarterback Drew Brees and wide receiver Robert Meachem.  Two plays later, running back Reggie Bush sliced through the front, right corner of the end zone for a TD.  New Orleans 10 and Atlanta 6.  With roughly seventy seconds left in the first half, wide receiver Marques Colston made a TD catch. The extra point was no good.  New Orleans 16 and Falcons 6.  The Falcons would’ve wanted to get a TD too going into halftime but they took a FG instead.  New Orleans 16 and Falcons 9.

The third quarter sprang out with the Saints on an energetic, and eventful, offense.  They got into the red zone, the officials called defensive pass interference on Falcons cornerback Brent Grimes, Falcons head coach Mike Smith fumed and sent his headset crashing to the turf, the Falcons broke up a Saints TD catch and nearly recovered a Reggie Bush fumble.  The Bush ran the ball in for a TD on the next play, though.  New Orleans 23 and Atlanta 9.  The Falcons didn’t lose momentum.  They came back with a fifty-yard TD catch and run by wide receiver Michael Jenkins (who had missed a similar set-up in the second quarter).  New Orleans 23 and Atlanta 16.

I assert that the Falcons played much better against the Saints today than they did against the Eagles last week (the Ch’i from last week was all off).  Falcons tight end Tony Gonzalez made an excellent run, which preceded a Jason Snelling plane-breaking TD.  The Falcons tied the game in the top of the quarter 23 to 23.  The Falcons’ defense stayed the course as well, holding the Saints to an FG rather than another end zone visit with four minutes left to play.  New Orleans 26 and Atlanta 23.  Oh Lourdes.  After losing twelve yards, Chris Redman threw an interception…Saints linebacker Jonathan Vilma snatched the ball.  With just about two minutes left, the Saints faked a field goal attempt but Mark Brunell’s pass to tight end Darnell Dinkins was incomplete.  Alas.  New Orleans 26 and Atlanta 23.  Final score.

Observations & Miscellania:

1.  Joe Buck and Troy Aikman looked like Ken dolls.   Joe wore a navy jacket, a white button-down shirt, and a shimmery light blue tie.  Troy wore a light gray jacket, a white button-down shirt, and a shimmery dark burgundy/purple tie.  It’s like Prom Ken and CEO Ken.

2.  Hmmm…the producers decided to air the feed from a camera that was taking in a high-angle close-up of Brent Grimes with a hand and an arm waving about while lining up for a snap.

3.  “That’s just good NFC South football right there: banging heads, knocking around…” Joe Buck remarked of the impromptu mosh pit that formed in the final second of the first quarter after the Saints returned a kickoff.

Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

NFL 08: Saints out-charades the Falcons

When the New Orleans Saints voyaged to the Eastern time zone a month ago to stare down the Atlanta Falcons, the home team proved to be the master of the ceremonies.  Today, the Falcons were over in  the Saints’ playground aiming to capture another victory.   Broadcast on Fox, the first quarter started with Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan throwing an interception.  Saints cornerback Jason David plucked the ball right out of the air as it was traveling towards Falcons wide receiver Roddy White.  Saints running back Reggie Bush made a touchdown a couple plays later.  New Orleans 7 and Atlanta 0.

The second quarter started with Saints quarterback Drew Brees throwing to wide receiver Marques Colston.  The ball ended up in the hands of Falcons cornerback Chevis Jackson, but it hit the ground.  Thus, incomplete pass.   The Saints shot up a field goal at the end of that possessio.  New Orleans 10 and Falcons 0.   The first play of Atlanta’s next possession was a fifty-nine yard pass to Roddy White.  Spectacularly projected and cradled.   The end of that drive led to a touchdown, courtesy of running back Michael Turner.  The Saints flung up another field goal (of forty-six yards) not long after the Falcons got on the board.  New Orleans 13 and Atlanta 7.   Towards the bottom of the second quarter, Matt Ryan connected superbly with wide receivers Harry Douglas, Michael Jenkins, Roddy White, and finally  Brian Finneran for a TD.  Atlanta 14 and New Orleans 13.  Going into halftime, though, the Saints reclaimed the lead with a field goal.  New Orleans 16 and Atlanta 14.

The third quarter pulsed halfway through and Matt Ryan launched two awesome passes while under much pressure (once to Brian Finneran, who was flanked by two Saints, and a second time to Michael Jenkins).   Edging towards the bottom of the third quarter, as that possession ended, Jason Elam’s field goal placed the Falcons back in the lead.  Atlanta 17 and New Orleans 16.

The fourth quarter commenced with a Saints touchdown by running back Pierre Thomas.   They would attempt a two-point conversion but it was not successful.  New Orleans 21 and Atlanta 17.   On the Falcons’ next possession, Matt Ryan ran twelve yards into the end zone himself for a touchdown.  A two-point conversion was tried and it worked (Michael Jenkins caught the ball).   Atlanta 25 and New Orleans 22.   The Saints responded with a zippy kickoff-return and a drive that culminated in a Pierre Thomas TD.  Saints 29 and Atlanta 25.   Final score.

Observations & Miscellania:

1.  Two of the pre-game segments were a vignette on the Falcons and a getting-to-know Roddy White sequence.  White was also featured on 11alive’s (my local NBC station) Falcons Face to Face last night.  It’s taped at the ESPN Zone in Buckhead and is hosted by Fred Kalil, one of 11alive’s sports reporters.   Roddy White was born in November of 1981.  I’m older than him by nearly a year.  He’s adorable.  His off-field, onscreen persona is remarkably different from his on-field, onscreen persona.

2.  Brian Billick, Dick Stockton, and Brian Baldinger were the commentators.

3.  Jason David made that interception in the first quarter, was then brought to the ground by Roddy White, and then proceeded to do the Carlton Dance upon standing up.

4.  Before cutting to commercial after the second quarter ended, one of the Fox cameras got a shot of a Saints fan dressed up as the Joker a la Heath Ledger.  Only, his jacket was chartreuse.  In fact, the fan bore a strong resemblance to actor Crispin Glover.

5.  Falcons defensive end John Abraham has Chinese character tattoos in his left bicep.  I can’t make out what they are, though, from the camera angle that revealed them (in the top of the fourth quarter after Falcons cornerback Dominique Foxworth got a penalty for illegal contact).

6.  Falcons owner Arthur Blank got a medium close-up after Atlanta lost the forward progress challenge in the fourth quarter.  His face could be read as blank–ha! pun–or stoic.

Get game summary, stats, and play-by-play here.

<~>

But the Eagles beat the Giants.

Reggie B., Say It Ain’t So~!~

 Knocking from Yahoo Sports.

Bush hit with book

By Jason Cole and Charles Robinson, Yahoo! Sports
December 6, 2007

Nearly two years after Reggie Bush won the Heisman Trophy, a book detailing improper benefits he allegedly received while playing for the University of Southern California and his relationship with the financiers of a fledgling sports marketing company could further damage his chances of keeping the most prestigious award in college sports.

The book, “Tarnished Heisman” by Don Yaeger and Jim Henry, published by Simon & Schuster, will include transcripts of recorded conversations that contain Bush acknowledging he owed money to the financiers of New Era Sports & Entertainment. Lloyd Lake and Michael Michaels of New Era planned to feature Bush as their marquee client to launch their marketing agency. The business failed after Bush sought representation elsewhere.

The book will be released in mid-January.

Meanwhile, the NCAA interviewed three people this week who claim knowledge of the approximately $300,000 in cash and other benefits allegedly given to Bush by Lake and Michaels. The benefits included Bush’s family living rent-free in a new home in a San Diego suburb for one year. Bush also allegedly received money for a car, spending money and had hotel stays paid for. Other allegations include furniture being purchased for the Bush family, travel expenses paid and free dinners provided.

Barbara Gunner and Lisa Lake met with the NCAA on Tuesday and the organization met with Lemuel Campbell on Wednesday. Gunner is the mother of Lloyd Lake. Lisa Lake is Lloyd Lake’s sister. Campbell is Lisa Lake’s ex-husband, who was expected to be an officer in New Era.

Gunner and Lisa Lake spoke to the NCAA about how they helped Lloyd Lake by lending him money to get New Era started. They also discussed their encounters with Bush and his family, including stepfather LaMar Griffin and mother Denise Griffin.

In November, the NCAA interviewed Lloyd Lake, listening to a portion of the recordings he made of conversations between himself, Bush and LaMar Griffin.

Yahoo! Sports, which in April 2006 broke the story of Bush receiving benefits, has also heard a portion of the recorded conversations.

 

Read the rest of this news piece here.