Martyball
It was third down and goal from the 1-yard line for the Chargers, up 23-20 late in the fourth quarter, when head coach Marty Schottenheimer called play-action instead of giving the ball to LaDainian Tomlinson, who had already racked up 200 yards rushing.
When Chargers quarterback Drew Brees was sacked, jaded Cleveland reporters in the press box at the stadium couldn't help but laugh in unison and say, "That's Martyball for ya!"
Meanwhile, reporters from San Diego shook their heads in disgust. Apparently, their definition of Martyball is different.
So, just what is Martyball?
"Throwing 18 times, running for 228 yards, making 'em kick field goals. That's Martyball," Schottenheimer told San Diego Union-Tribune columnist Nick Canepa afterwards.
"Martyball may be conservative, but it's supposed to be smart," Canepa writes. Therefore, by his definition, the Chargers' mistake-filled win on Sunday wasn't Martyball.
With all due respect, Nick, we in Cleveland object. This was classic Martyball.
Yes, Martyball is certainly conservative and, often, it is smart football too. Martyball, however, is also the inexplicable at the most inappropriate times. It's Drew Brees rolling out on third and goal from the one. It's Clay Matthews laterally the ball after making an seemingly game-icing interception. It's calling for the prevent defense with six minutes to go in the AFC Championship Game.
It's been 15 years since Marty Schottenheimer coached the Browns. It's good to know some things don't change.
Dubious distinction
The Chargers' upset of the Browns is Tom Jackson's Surprise of the Week on ESPN.com.
Yay! We've got the monkey off our back. The San Diego Chargers finally won a game. I feel so bad for our best player, LaDainian Tomlinson. This guy is such a stud and we're such a stinker of a team. I hope we get our act together soon because if the team plays like LaDainian, we would be Super Bowl Champs.
This movie rocks. I'm not a huge fan of Jack Black but he was awesome in this movie. It is sooo funny. Todd and I saw it yesterday and we both laughed out loud sooo many times. It isn't juvenile or gross humor, it's just plain funny with a great heart in the movie. Go see it!
Statement released Wednesday by Cubs fan Steve Bartman, who deflected a foul ball in Game 6 of the National League Championship Series:
``There are few words to describe how awful I feel and what I have experienced within these last 24 hours.
I've been a Cub fan all my life and fully understand the relationship between my actions and the outcome of the game. I had my eyes glued on the approaching ball the entire time and was so caught up in the moment that I did not even see Moises Alou, much less that he may have had a play.
Had I thought for one second that the ball was playable or had I seen Alou approaching I would have done whatever I could to get out of the way and give Alou a chance to make the catch.
To Moises Alou, the Chicago Cubs organization, Ron Santo, Ernie Banks, and Cub fans everywhere I am so truly sorry from the bottom of this Cubs fan's broken heart.
I ask that Cub fans everywhere redirect the negative energy that has been vented towards my family, my friends, and myself into the usual positive support for our beloved team on their way to being National League champs.''
Leave the poor guy alone. I was rooting for the Cubs to go to the World Series against the Boston Red Sox. He was wrong but does NOT deserve to have his life threaten. The Cubbies had every opportunity to win but they didn't. It was a major choke job by them and the Marlins deserve to be in the World Series.
Union strike causes 70,000 to picket at nation's major grocers: "Grocery chains Safeway (NYSE: SWY), Krogers (NYSE: KR) and Albertsons (NYSE: ABS) union workers joined Safeway's strike in full support of Vons attempts to change their workers health insurance plan (Vons is a Safeway grocery chain)."
Support the union members by not shopping at these major chains. I have an Albertson's just across the street from me but I had to go a long ways to Food 4 Less to shop. Hopefully they'll resolve this strike soon.
It's tough being a sport's fan in San Diego. We have never won any major championships. The San Diego Soccers don't count. The Chargers has earned worse team in the NFL with an 0-5 start. Even the lowly Bengals have a win. My god, could we suck any more?
My San Diego Aztecs lost to BYU. Damn Mormons. They looked good against us. We could have won if we weren't making so many dumb decisions. Oh well. Hell it beats living in Utah.
I must take solace in the fact that I live in a beautiful city. It doesn't comfort me much but atleast I don't have to live in the other cities out there.
I once had to memorize some poetry for English class. This was one of the poems and I've been trying to remember who the poet was and what the poem was. I always remembered the opening lines of the poem but forgot how the rest of it went. To read the entire poem, click on the link above. Here's the section that I recited.
"SLOWLY I smoke and hug my knee,
The while a witless masquerade
Of things that only children see
Floats in a mist of light and shade:
They pass, a flimsy cavalcade,
And with a weak, remindful glow,
The falling embers break and fade,
As one by one the phantoms go. "
One really sad fact that Todd and I learned when we were playing "Trivial pursuit" last night was this: Martin Luther King's mother was assassinated 6 years after he was, at her church while playing the organ. I don't know if this info is common knowledge or not but something that is truly sad.
Chansamone posted at: