Category Archives: Sports

Sports

McDaniels of the Denver Broncos – there may be smoke but sadly there is not enough fire….

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It is never a good situation when as a coach in the NFL your Wikipedia page has been hacked and someone has changed your name to ‘Fire This Bum’.

But in the case of Josh McDaniels of the Denver Broncos that is exactly what is happening out there in cyberspace right now. At the tender age of just over 30 when he was appointed, there was always going to be a danger that McDaniels would be overawed on entering the cauldron of football fanaticism that is the city of Denver. This is of course the city whose home team the Denver Broncos have sold out EVERY game since the 1960s. The city where the only way to get yourself season tickets is in a will or buying the house of people leaving town who have left their tickets on the kitchen bench.

At the time of his hiring, the Broncos made McDaniels one of the youngest ever head coaches in the NFL. McDaniels certainly had showed promise during his time as an Assistant Coach at the Patriots and arrived in Denver full of passion and momentum. In his first few games as head coach McDaniels prowled the sidelines with all the enthusiasm of a 6 year old at Disneyland. The fist pumps, the wild eyes and the audible roars after a great play would have reminded many of the cauldron of simmering fury that was the previous Broncos coach Mike Shanahan, whose match day complexion made Alex Ferguson look positively albino in comparison.

But sadly for Denver Broncos fans, that was where the similarities will end.

Because while they may share the same wound up persona on field, McDaniels (sorry, ‘Fire this Bum’) will never now match the record of Shanahan who managed to win two Super Bowls during his 11 year reign as head coach of the Broncos.  McDaniels may still be the head coach of the Broncos but it will only be a matter of time until their owner pulls the trigger, especially after a woeful Monday Night Football performance against their biggest rival the Chargers.

Monday night is the night when an already sports mad country steps up their fanaticism to maximum intensity. Surely that would have been the perfect stage for McDaniels to find some of that old fire as his team tried to keep their season alive.  As the game wore on however McDaniels seemed to retreat more and more into his shell on the sidelines. It looked like someone had spiked coach’s Gatorade with prozac as McDaniels looked about as ambitious and energetic as a three toed sloth.  What really made the Broncos fans howl however was McDaniels incredibly conservative play calling. When you are down by 30 points, it is time to roll the dice. McDaniels on several occasions decided to punt on 4th down, rather than find those dice and throw them with caution to the wind like wedding confetti on a windy day.

Punting on 4th down is usually a wise choice, but when you are down by such a big margin it is the equivalent of standing on 12 against a dealer’s 10 in blackjack. The game was well and truly over and even trying anything could seem like rearranging the deckchairs on the Titanic, but surely the fans deserve to see their coach at least giving it a shot.  Exactly why McDaniels decided to close the shutters and play out the game with all the intensity and excitement of a man serving his sentence on death row is well and truly beyond this observer.

Broncos fans can take some comfort from the fact that McDaniels days are numbered in Denver. Until that day they will simply have to endure the Titantic that the Broncos season has become, with a coach who promised so much but has now become too scared to sail the stormy seas.

POSTSCRIPT: Since the time of writing this article McDaniels has been faced with one of his assistant coaches being caught spying on and recording an opposing team. In worse developments for McDaniels only today the Denver Broncos lost at home to the previously woeful St Louis Rams – it can’t be long until there is an axe being wielded in Denver…

Sports

Sportzfan Radio visits the Bentleigh Festival

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Show #180 (podcast below) was broadcast from the Bentleigh Festival.  Nothing like taking it to the streets!  The Panel of the Professor, the Gelding, the Gambler, Daniel Eade & Stan enjoyed sunny weather conditions and a big crowd.  Special guest, Bentleigh MLA Rob Hudson was in his element too.

The Professor asks a searching question of Daniel whether Melbourne Tigers loss to Wollongong was a ‘good’ loss with the Gelding and Stan ready to pounce on the answer (left) whilst Stan takes Daniel to task over the generally poor performance of the Melbourne Tigers and whether Corey ‘Homicide Williams will make that  much difference (right).

 

Special guest Rob Hudson talking sport and politics with the Panel at the Bentleigh Festival confirming the announced grants during the week to improve facilities at Moorabbin and Centennary Park (right) whilst the Professor and Rob talk candidly about their football teams after Rob’s segment on Sportzfan Radio (left)

Punting, Sports

Sydney Colt’s Mail For Kensington 27 November

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I hope you took the suggestion last week and took the good thing of the day as the first leg of all up bets with our other 2 tips. If so, you would have been like me and had a fill up. Some good mail about for Saturday’s races at the Kensington track.

Race 2 n3 LADY’S ANGEL This neddy did the the right thing by us last week as the 2nd leg of an all up. Looks better than these.

Race 4 n7 SIENNA RED I have been told to completely ignore the last start failure and join a couple of shrued pro punters who have already bet into this one. Has trialled great.

Race 8 n7 KISS ‘N CHASE e/w 2nd up and I’m told it has improved heaps on the track. Nash will steer this one into the placings somewhere.

Money lost, nothing lost. Confidence lost, everything lost.

Sports

Can Brett Favre make THE decision himself?

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Professor’s Rant #3

Prior to commencing this rant, I need to declare myself as a lifelong Green Bay Packers fan.

When I heard that Brett Favre was coming back for another season with the Minnesota Vikings in August this year, I polled a number of people about how difficult it would be at 40+ to step back in as a quarterback in the NFL with no adequate pre-season training or conditioning.  It is not surprising that all those questioned said that it would be almost impossible.  The season is certainly playing out like that for Favre.  There was one other word used by the people responding…’arrogance’.  Not a word that I had really associated with Brett Favre until then.

I suppose that I have wanted to give Brett the benefit of the doubt over the years…even through all those years of ‘will he or won’t he?’ (aka THE decision) at Green Bay when, as a supporter, it was what I expect death by a thousand cuts to be like.  But that was Brett being Brett and he was in the most part forgiven each year (by the way LeBron only did it once…and look how he has been pilloried in the media).

At the time the Packers made the move to go with Aaron Rodgers, I was dismayed and upset about the thought of Favre not being part of the Packers again.  However, the Packers rightly said enough was enough and took control of the quarterback situation for the long term.  With the benefit of hindsight it was a great decision as since then Favre’s career reads more like a soap opera episode than a sporting career.  If we take out the stellar season with the Vikings last year, we see a mediocre season with the New York Jets where there was bickering amongst the team and this year where the scene is playing out exactly the same only this time in Minnesota.  We also have the unwanted distraction of the sordid allegations surrounding Favre and a former Jets female employee which are being investigated by the NFL.

I must say that I never thought I would hear the call from the media for Favre to call it a career and retire….or worse be benched by the Vikings in favour of Tavaris Jackson.  But they are the unfortunate realities when one tempts fate and tries to go to the well on one too many occasions.

I sincerely hope that Brett finds a way to exit gracefully from the playing field without the decision being made for him.  Like I said, I hope but somehow I think that word ‘arrogance’ may stand in the way of that happening.

Sports

New Mets manager like the boy with the barrow!

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Professor’s Rant #2

I guess there is one thing we can say for the New York Mets management now being led by Sandy Alderson…..they picked a recycled manager in Terry Collins who has a winning record (444-434)!!  That at least allows me to put a tick in one box for Jeff Wilpon, Alderson & Co (and there haven’t been too many of those handed out by me to the Mets over the last few seasons).

Collins main claim to fame seems to be that he managed teams that finished second…..that’s right, second, in their division five years out of six.  I guess that is better than appointing a potential manager from a list that seemed packed with candidates who had losing records and were sacked from their previous roles (Collins, Chip Hale, Bob Melvin, Wally Backman, Clint Hurdle, Don Wakamatsu to name but a few).  Let’s look at some of the candidates – recently sacked Mariner’s manager Don Wakamatsu for one.  The allegations of ‘losing’ the players during a tough season isn’t a great start to a resume, especially when you combine that with a 100+ loss season and you have a recipe for disaster in New York.  Let’s also take a look at Wally Backman (currently managing the Mets affiliate the Cyclones).  He was sacked as manager of the Diamondbacks in 2004 just four days after starting in the job after not revealing two arrests and ‘financial problems’ to the interview panel.  One heck of a stint in the big leagues Wally.

So, my burning questions are these.  Weren’t there any potential managers sitting out there with winning records?  Weren’t there any that had World Series experience?  Why wasn’t Bobby Valentine at least interviewed?  He is curently not managing, having come off a very successful stint in the Japanese league with the Chiba Lotte Marines where he won the Japan Series and the inaugural Asia Series, but perhaps more importantly, has managed successfully before in the heat of the New York sporting spotlight garnering a 536-467 record over seven seasons (which included two 90+ win seasons).  Don’t forget he is the last manager to take the Mets to the World Series.

In any event, out of all that, Terry Collins has the job and now gets to confront what to do about closer Francisco Rodriguez, the non performing Jason Bay and Luis Castillo and Carlos Beltran in the final year of a seven year contract.

Like the boy with the barrow, Terry has it all in front of him!

Sports

Penny pinching Tigers should learn from false economy!

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This is the first in a series to be known as the ‘Professor’s Rant!”

Over the last few weeks on Sportzfan Radio Stan and I have had lengthy discussions with basketball expert and panelist, Daniel Eade.  The topic for most of  those conversations has been the poor start…no, make that the very poor start to the NBL season by the Melbourne Tigers.  Daniel conceded last week that it is quite conceivable that the Tigers could start the season with a 0-8 win/loss total….well, make that loss total.

I was surprised when Daniel told our listening audience (on Sportzfan Radio #179.1) that the Tigers, during the off season, had considered signing Corey ‘Homicide’ Williams (the reigning NBL MVP) and Julius Hodge (who played with the Tigers in 2009), but in the end Tigers management had elected to go with the cheaper option of an untried paring of TJ Campbell and Eric Devendorf.  Needless to say, the cheaper option did not get the job done and, as we all expected, Campbell was cut loose during the week to make way for Williams.  Who knows how long Devendorf will last, but given the loss to Perth Wildcats last night, he is possibly one step closer to a ticket home.

Make no mistake, I do not have a problem with NBL teams showing prudent financial management.  Signing ‘no name brand’ imports may have been all the Tigers could have afforded.  Of course, it doesn’t get fans excited or flocking to the stadium but it hopefully keeps the team in the black.  This premise though seems incorrect when the Tigers are eventually forced to admit the mistake in judgment and go with the cheque book to sign Williams in an effort to save their floundering season.  Problem is that the ‘momentum train’ has long since left the station and their is now almost no hope that the Tigers can fill their stadium or sign up new members.

Given the NBL is struggling anyway in the crowded summer sports market place, to go with ‘no name brand’ players is a recipe for disaster for both the scoreboard and hip pocket.

Punting, Sports

Sydnet Colt’s Mail For 20 November 2010

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Having a really big tip for a neddy in Melb today. Mail is a bit light again for Sydney where 2 very short priced 2yo dominate the early races.

SYD

Race 2 n3 FOXWEDGE This will win if trial form and trackwork mean anything for early season 2yo races. Make this a banker for an all up with the next 2 mail horses.

Race 7 n5 LADYS ANGEL Impressed some keen judges after leading and winning last start.

MELB

Race 8 n4 VERY DISCREET I am told this neddy has a ton on this field based on ratings. IAS went up at $7.0 and the best on offer this morning is $3.9o. Some smart people have jumped on. What will you do?

Money lost, nothing lost. Confidence lost, everything lost.

Punting, Sports

Sydney Colt’s Mail For Rosehill 13 November 2010

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I’m suggesting my groupies and regular punt drunk readers of this post join me as we place all our eggs in one basket. Yes, the mail is light but very hot for just one runner tomorrow at Rosehill.

Race 3 n6 SIENNA RED (currently $3.3 with Betchoice). This neddy trained by Jo Pride has had 1 race start for 1 win. With Corey Brown up it should go 2 from 2. I’m told it is fit and ready for a 1st up win. Our only bet.

Money lost, nothing lost. Confidence lost, everything lost.

Punting, Sports

Sydney Colt’s Mail For Randwick 6 November

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Those who stayed solid on Melb Cup day were rewarded with 2 winners from 2 races in Syd and 1 win from 2 in Melb. The prices for today’s mail will not be big but wise betting with Corporate bookies will return a profit.

Race 2 n5 CYCLONE STACEY I’m informed it has trialled exceptionally well.

Race 3 n3 MR EDISON About the fittest horse racing at Randwick today. Will be in the finish for sure.

Race 4 n1 UPON THIS ROCK Has been a star at trackwork and will race on the pace. Will be in this for a long way.

Race 5 n4 ZACHARY This is the strongest mail horse today. The blinkers are going on, wet will assist and up to 1600m is its go. Don’t miss out on backing it.

Money lost, nothing lost. Confidence lost, everything lost.