Notre Dame shows its true colors

I'm not talking about green and gold, just green, and perhaps white. Yesterday, Notre Dame fired head coach Tyrone Willingham, one of less than a handful of African-American head coaches in Division 1 NCAA football. Willingham was hired just three years ago after the first choice, George O'Leary was fired after it was found out that he was less than truthful on his resume. So Willingham was hired, and ND was able to take all of the kudos that went with it.

Willingham was fired after only three seasons. Most coaches get 4-5 years, to bring through their own players. Even Gerry Faust and Bob Davie were given 5 years to achieve success. Willingham's transgressions included not winning a bowl game, a perceived lack of good recruits, and a dull offensive scheme. What he really did wrong was not get to any BCS bowl games, and not win enough. The latter is enough to get any coach fired. But Ty's failings came at a time when a former ND assistance and latest hot prospect Urban Meyer is available. Meyer currently coaches Utah, who is undefeated and will be playing in a BCS bowl. BCS bowls are guranteed payoffs of $14M+, and ND being an independent means they can keep all of that money, unlike conference teams who must share it. Meyer has an out in his contract for the ND job, and ND doesn't want him sucked up somewhere else.

If Meyer is more successful in his first three years, great for him. It will vindicate ND's decisions and put them back on the football map that is necessary for their survival as the lone independent and only team with its own network TV contract. If he doesn't, they will look even worse then they do now.

The NFL: Hypocrisy at its Best

This week's Monday Night Football game between Dallas and the Eagles featured an ABC opening that attempted to cross-promote the ABC Sunday night hit show Desperate Housewives. In the open, Eagles wide receiver Terrell Owens posed with actress Nicollette Sheridan, a star of the hit series. Sheridan was seen wearing nothing but a towel while urging Owens to give up playing in the game to spend some time with her. In the final few seconds of the piece, Sheridan dropped the towel and jumped into Owens' arms. After she dropped her towel, he agreed to be late for the game and hugged her. Then the shot panned out to two more stars of "Desperate Housewives," Teri Hatcher and Felicity Huffman, watching the scene unfold on a television and commenting on desperate women.

Lots of viewers saw the piece, and complained to ABC and the NFL. But it didn't seem to draw any reactions from those powers until the Mike and the Mad Dog radio show on New York's WFAN complained, and called ABC and the NFL to have people come on their show and explain. They both complained. Later, everyone issued apologies (note that all apologies were issued after the radio rant which began about 1:30 PM EST).

The NFL - "ABC's opening was inappropriate and unsuitable for our Monday Night Football audience. While ABC may have gained attention for one of its other shows, the NFL and its fans lost." The implies that the NFL had no knowledge beforehand of the opening sequence, even though it was fimed in the Eagles locker room with Owens wearing his Eagles (NFL) jersey. This is the same NFL that:

• was "... extremely disappointed by elements of the MTV-produced Halftime show. They were totally inconsistent with assurances our office was given about the show. It's unlikely that MTV will produce another Super Bowl halftime." This was their reaction to the Janet Jackson exposed breast incident during halftime of the Super Bowl.
• Upheld league policy and and threatened to fine Denver Bronco QB from wearing a decal on his helmet commemorating fallen former teammate Pat Tillman, who was killed in Afghanistan. Tillman left the NFL and volunteered for the Army Rangers.
• Forbade Indianapolis Colt QB Peyton Manning from wearing black high top sneakers to honor former colt QB and NFL legend Johnny Unitas. Black high tops are not standard NFL issue.
• Condemned Owens' actions for taking out a Sharpie pen and autographing a football after scoring a touchdown on Monday Night football. That set precedent for punishment on future such outbursts, leading to...
• A $30,000 fine for New Orleans wide receiver Joe Horn, who pulled a cell phone from the goal post padding and pretended to make a call after scoring a touchdown.

ABC - "We have heard from many of our viewers about last night's Monday Night Football opening segment, and we agree that the placement was inappropriate. We apologize." So they feel the placement was inappropriate, not the skit itself. I understand when your ratings are terrible, but give me a break.

The Eagles - After seeing the final piece, we wish it hadn't aired." So the piece is filmed with their star player in official uniform, in their locker room, and they didn't see the final piece?

Clearly ABC and the NFL know that gray area between immoral and decent. Let's see if the FCC disagrees. Regardless, the NFL has demonstrated that showboating is fine when it is to their benefit. I guess if TO had used an NFL-licensed Sharpie, or Horn a cell phone with the NFL partner prominently featured...

Sorry Red Sox Nation, It Just Didn't Hurt That Much

As a New York sports fan, my rooting interests rest with the Yankees, Giants, Knicks, and Rutgers University, though not in that order. I'm also an Islanders fan, but who knows when we'll see NHL hockey again. Unlike many (perhaps most?) Yankee fans, the loss to the Red Sox in the AL Championship Series was not that crushing to me. As much as it pains me to admit it, it was the greatest sports choke of all time. That I was actually in Boston for Games 5 and 6 (in the city, not at the games) and watching them with Red Sox fans was not the dystopia I might have thought it would be. So I thought about what were the most crushing sports defeats I have experienced as a fan, inc chronological order.

1. 1993 NBA Eastern Conference Finals. The Knicks have home court advantage agaisnt the Jordan-Pippen Bulls, and in Game 5, Charles Smith fails at four consecutive layup attempts. Granted, Jordan and Pippen helped defend, and no fouls were called. But Smith has to make the layup or draw a foul. This hurt more than Hakeem blocking Starks in Game 6 of the 1994-5 finals, or John's 2-18 in Game 7. This was their best chance to beat MJ in his prime, and they failed.
2. 2001 World Series, Yankees at Diamondbacks, Game 7. Just weeks after the terror attacks of 9/11/2001, the DBacks and Yanks stage an epic World Series that has caught the attention of the nation and actually humanized the Yankees. The story is chronicled well by HBO in NINE INNINGS FROM GROUND ZERO. After rallying in the 9th inning of Games 4 and 5 with home runs off B.Y. Kim, the Yankees lead 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth with Mariano Rivera on the mound. Trhough a series of hits, poor defensive plays, and some broken bats, the DBacks defeat Rivera and the mighty Yankees.
3. January 5, 2003, NFC Divisional Playoff game, NY Giants at SF 49ers. Giants enter playoffs red-hot on offense, as Collins is clicking with Toomer and Shcokey. G-Men are up 38-14 with four minutes remaining in the 3rd quarter (should be 42-14 but Shockey drops easy TD pass). 49ers go on to score next 25 points, as Terrell Owens cannot be covered by Jason Sehorn and cohorts. Trey Junkin, a long-snapper signed out of retirement to replace the injured Dan O'Leary, executes a bad snap on a potential game-winning field goal, only the Giants one thousandth special teams gaffe of the year. On the ensuing play, the officials blow the call on what was holding on the 49ers, which would have at least given the Giants another field goal attempt.

Perhaps I am still in denial. But the Red Sox were the better team, and they deserved to win. Yanks had both Game 4 and 5 where they wanted them - a lead and Gordon/Rivera. Only Gordon couldn't handle the pressure, and Sox got to Mariano as they have done with some frequency the last few years. Now, I didn't watch the end of that game or the eventual Sox World Series celebration...