TheAgitator.com
Tuesday Morning Sportsblogging
Tuesday, December 14th, 2004Looks like I called it! Only the Philadelphia Eagles could keep the Washington Redskins from winning the Super Bowl this year, and they did, narrowly. How fine to be a Redskins fan: we can say we came within three points of the conference championship and still came out of the adventure with a high draft pick.
Unless we trade it away, like usual. Here’s my ambition for the Redskins: I don’t want to hear a peep out of them between the end of the Season and draft day. The only free agent signings I want to happen are pickups of stray veterans for minimum wage that don’t even make the front page of the Post’s sports section, let alone espn.com. I’m sick of winning March and losing the other 11 months of the year. Let’s try the continuity thing one time, shall we? There’s a damn good defense there. The offense needs some help on the line and running routes. That’s what the draft is for, plus a New England-style salvage operation. None of this trading away the future to bring in the latest non-savior.
Meanwhile, a brief note for the Los Angeles Lakers: You’re not very good. So we don’t need to even pretend to care about your crap any more. That is all.
With Radley’s permission, I’m opening comments for all your sports chatter.
(And on Unqualified Offerings, comics blogging.)
Well, we can always count on Ramsey to blow it for us.
Actually, we might have been on the winning end if it weren’t for all the penalties, most of which were the Skins’ fault. However, the most costly one was complete hogwash, the first-half interference call in the endzone, setting up Philly’s first TD. If anything, it was offense PI. Springs (I think it was Springs) played that ball exceptionally well. But the NFL has gotten to a point where, if the wideout initiates a big tangle, the corner gets called. BS. And that call was one of those that made the ESPN announcers go “oh, man, what a bad call, he played that ball perfectly…if anything, it was offensive interference!” Shit, this is like the third time I’ve had to bitch about this kinda thing this year. So, I’ll repeat what I said on every other instance: It’s about time the NFL allowed these massive pass interference penalties to be challenged…especially considering how utterly and consistently wrong the refs are.
As for the Kobe thing, I say verily unto you, again and again, fuck Kobe. Even when they were good, I didn’t care about such nonsense. They might have won games, but they were no fun to watch. Kobe, like many other modern players, was a showboating asshole, while Shaq was just a behemoth with no skills. I don’t care how many games they won, I’d still rather watch Jordan score 65. So, also, fuck the Lakers.
The only pain worse then being a Redskins fan is being a DC transplant (go figure) and having to hear the noise all off season knowing full well the end result. The only real problem with the team is George Stienbrenner Jr.
Dear Jim,
Your early-onset dementia was touching.
- Josh, Eagles fan
Evan, I concur with all your thoughts except one- Shaq has mad skills.
He is underrated because he is so huge, people think all he does is go into the key and dunk. However, when you actually watch what he does, he has amazing footwork for his size, he takes a beating inside every game because refs only call fouls when Shaq has been bumped hard enough to move him, and he is the best passer I’ve seen on a guy that size. I can’t wait to see Shaq vs. Kobe on Christmas, and watch Shaq slap Kobe into the 3rd row on a block.
Jim- I feel your pain, I’m a Seahawks fan. The good news is that we’re only 6 years into Mike Holmgren’s 5-year plan…..
DCMike:
I agree. Kornheiser once said the truest words I think I’ve ever heard: the skins are best when they’re not playing. And I dunno if I agree with the “Steinbrenner Jr” label. At least Steinbrenner has had winning seasons as the fruits of his spending sprees.
Richard:
I remember watching Jordan make everyone look like bumbling high schoolers, and feeling a magic that is lost from basketball today. There is no longer any sense of teamwork, everyone just wants their own shoe commercial.
I’ve watched Shaq, and you can praise his footwork and passing all you want, he’s just not fun to watch. And basketball, like other sports, is all about entertainment. Of course, I was exaggerating for effect when I said he had *no* skills. But, the reality is, he has no grace or style, and he is absolutely no fun to watch play.
Evan-
I’m not a huge b-ball fan, but I got back into it last year watching the Pistons, they played the game as a team the way it’s supposed to be played. And they played defense, which is almost unheard of in the NBA. Kind of like my Sonics this year, catch them if you can, they’re playing fun ball this year. I do agree with you about the NBA, but you can’t compare anyone to Jordan, he was one of a kind.
Your early-onset dementia was touching.
Thank you, Josh. When the Iggles crash and burn on schedule in, what? six weeks? I will spare a thought . . .
As a Sacramento resident and an avid Kings fan, I feel a slightly guilty pleasure at watching the Lakers implode.
They were never a TEAM… The Lakers were a collection of good players who never learned how to play together. The sort of behavior that they bring to the game takes much of the fun away, as REAL basketball is a much better game when played as a team.