General Sports Talk

Most dunks are mundane these days, but truly spectacular ones can bring the house down. John Starks' dunk was incredible, but the circumstances and the opposing player being MJ elevated it to near legend.

Quote: billryan

Johnny Damon was one of my favorite ballplayers during his career, so it was really sad watching the YouTube video of he and his wife being arrested for DWI and fighting with the police.
Damon made over a hundred million dollars during his baseball career, was driving a $150,000 car, and was pulled over entering a gated community where his house( one of three he owns) is valued at several million dollars.
Supposedly an astute and successful businessman, he didn't have the common sense to call an Uber.
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If I had that kind of money, I'd have a chauffeur for my luxury ride...

I am excited. Next week we get #1 Ohio State at 12-0 vs #2 Indiana 12-0 on a neutral field. I have been trying to make a line for it but I don't feel comfortable. If I had to guess I would say about OSU -5

I watched a good bit of college football this year, and OSU seems to be playing at a different level than the rest of the teams.

Quote: billryan

I watched a good bit of college football this year, and OSU seems to be playing at a different level than the rest of the teams.
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I have probably watched around 150 college games this season and would agree with you. They definitely look like the best team but they are still beatable. If either Indiana or Ohio State win their next four games they will be national champions.

In the Bears-Eagles game, Amazon was going to split-screen and ran ads during the time between plays. Not every play, or even most plays, but it was still annoying. I've never noticed it before, but added to the regular commercials it was pretty irritating.

I am.bot an Amazon prime member so.i couldn't watch the game live. I kept up.woth it on CBS sports. NFL Network showed the game on replay and immediately recapped the game after it ended. I just don't order enough things to justify Amazon prime. I am glad the bears won
The 4 game over the holiday I considered upsets
Crazy year in the NFL. Colts are most likely going to lose the remainder of their game with Jones being injured and they have to play Anthony Richardson

Alabama vs. Auburn in the Iron Bowl, a game historically marked by strange endings. Bama once lost when their All-American punter had two punts blocked and returned for a touchdown in the last two minutes of the game, and lost a few years ago after a game-winning field goal attempt was short, and returned for a touchdown.
Auburn makes a hard-fought comeback and ties the game at 20-20. Bama gets the ball and drives down to the two-yard line, where they are stopped on third down. A chip shot field goal will put them ahead with about a minute to go, but incredibly, the Tide goes for it and scores a touchdown on a passing play.
I can't decide if it was an incredibly gutsy move or a brain fart. Did the coach not trust his defence to stall Auburn's ditch effort beyond field goal range? Bama came up with a big interception on the second play to seal the victory.
The Crimson Tide's next opponent is Georgia in the SEC Championship, where a win puts them solidly in the tournament, giving them the right to lose to OSU in the title game.

Quote: billryan

Alabama vs. Auburn in the Iron Bowl, a game historically marked by strange endings. Bama once lost when their All-American punter had two punts blocked and returned for a touchdown in the last two minutes of the game, and lost a few years ago after a game-winning field goal attempt was short, and returned for a touchdown.
Auburn makes a hard-fought comeback and ties the game at 20-20. Bama gets the ball and drives down to the two-yard line, where they are stopped on third down. A chip shot field goal will put them ahead with about a minute to go, but incredibly, the Tide goes for it and scores a touchdown on a passing play.
I can't decide if it was an incredibly gutsy move or a brain fart. Did the coach not trust his defence to stall Auburn's ditch effort beyond field goal range? Bama came up with a big interception on the second play to seal the victory.
The Crimson Tide's next opponent is Georgia in the SEC Championship, where a win puts them solidly in the tournament, giving them the right to lose to OSU in the title game.
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It’s called strategy. Going for the 90+% field goal, even if successful, gives the opponent the ball after kickoff at around the 28 yard line (average) with the college rules. Even if they fail on 4th down the opponent gets the ball on the 2 yard line. So MUCH harder to drive down the field for a FG. And of course if you score the TD then opponent needs a TD to tie, not a FG. It’s not totally stupid to go for the FG, but I think overall, probably slightly better to go for the TD. If you make those two yards 2/3 times it’s an easy yes. If you only make such 1/3 times then kick the FG.

To me, it is telling your defense you don't trust them, just as you are sending them out for the biggest drive of the season. Perhaps that made his D try a little harder.

Quote: DRich

Quote: billryan

I watched a good bit of college football this year, and OSU seems to be playing at a different level than the rest of the teams.
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I have probably watched around 150 college games this season and would agree with you. They definitely look like the best team but they are still beatable. If either Indiana or Ohio State win their next four games they will be national champions.
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You've watched way more than I have. With YouTube TV, I usually watch most of one or two games and zip through a bunch with their library system.

Notre Dame ended the season on a nice upswing, destroying their last two opponents.

Quote: billryan

Notre Dame ended the season on a nice upswing, destroying their last two opponents.

I was very happy with that outcome. I had Stanford +31.5. I was quite worried when it was 21-0 in the first quarter.

Quote: billryan

To me, it is telling your defense you don't trust them, just as you are sending them out for the biggest drive of the season. Perhaps that made his D try a little harder.
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Except it’s the exact opposite you are telling your defense you do trust them. But in reality it’s not a ‘telling’ anyone anything. It’s a ‘I think we have a better chance to win with this strategy’.

And seriously, you actually think an NFL defense in the 4th quarter two minute drill EVER isn’t playing as hard as it can? That it can play ‘harder’?

Quote: SOOPOO

Quote: billryan

To me, it is telling your defense you don't trust them, just as you are sending them out for the biggest drive of the season. Perhaps that made his D try a little harder.
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Except it’s the exact opposite you are telling your defense you do trust them. But in reality it’s not a ‘telling’ anyone anything. It’s a ‘I think we have a better chance to win with this strategy’.

And seriously, you actually think an NFL defense in the 4th quarter two minute drill EVER isn’t playing as hard as it can? That it can play ‘harder’?
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Yeah it's not a matter of trusting them. Obviously the opponent is capable of scoring points against you, and that's why it's a tie game. Coaches can't think in terms of their team being better, just playing better.

As good as the Tide defense is, it is not an NFL defense. Yes, I believe players can raise their game when they are inspired. Ray Lewis was a master at working his teammates into a rage.