This has to be a first

So yesterday while watching the Carolina Panthers and the Green Bay Packers game, I thought to myself wow I think that I just saw history.

During the game, Panthers' QB Cam Newton was picked off by Packers' DB Charles Woodson twice and after thinking about it for a while, I thought it may have been historical. Since Woodson was the only Heisman Trophy winner to play defense and Cam Newton won the Heisman last year, was this the first time that a Heisman Trophy winner was picked off by another? I have to think it was and if it was I don't think enough has been made of it.  

The greatest sports rant ever

Sports talk radio is full of classic rants, but Mike Valenti of the Detroit based show of Valenti and Foster has a classic that will go down in the history books. The rant after Michigan States 2006 loss to Notre Dame is classic. Where in the world can you have a rant that features the terms: pudding, HR Pufnstuff and Hurricane Katrina. Its classic and the raw emotion that comes out is epic. Just remember: "Timeouts are not like cellphone minutes, they don't roll over.'' In honor this weeks game, its time to relive the rant. 


Part 1


Part 2

Time and Practice

A great column by the Daily Mail's Martin Samuel on how it takes time to get to the top of the Champions League. City discover it's a steep climb to Carnegie Hall. They might get there one day, but its going to take time especially in a group that features Napoli, Munich, and Villarreal.

Champions League by the Numbers

A breakdown of the Champions League by the CIES Football Observatory. The report states Ajax are young, Barcelona are short & France are well represented

The Cover Story: NFL Kickoff Sunday

The Monday after the first Sunday of the NFL season can only mean one thing usually: the front pages of newspapers in NFL city are dedicated to the opening days games. This year was different, with the 10 year anniversary of the Sept. 11 attacks, only four of the NFL cities had the games on the front pages of their newspapers. The only paper go completely with the NFL theme was the Philly Daily News, not surprising given the passion of the Philadelphia fan base.

Chicago Sun Times

Tampa Tribune

The Baltimore Sun

The Philly Daily News 

How can you keep Choppin if there is no stump

So what happens when you go 5-7 in college football, well they start taking things away and at Rutgers that is no different. For the last couple of years, the theme at Rutgers has been "Keep Choppin" and this year its the same, but there is one difference. How can you "Keep Choppin" if there is no stump. According to the Rutgers athletic twitter page, the team decided to go in a different direction and not put the stump out for games. I was shocked to hear the news, it was almost heart breaking.

What could be

With talk of Real Madrid and Barca destroying Spanish soccer and leaving for a European Super League, I talk you back to a post I did two years ago on what a European Soccer League would look like. The League would feature 24 teams and could be really interesting. It could work, but I would hate to see the current structure destroyed.

A must have for soccer fans

All soccer fans love transfer deadline day, but no one loves it more then Sky Sports'  Jim White. This DVD honors the closing of the transfer window and the fans that enjoyed it.

The Fall of BJ Wallace is complete

In 1992 BJ Wallace was the talk of college baseball, the tall left hander was expected to be a good major league pitcher. The Expos thought so and took him with the third overall pick in the 1992 draft, but ever since that day things have gone down hill.

First he flamed out in the minors and now Wallace has been charged with making meth near an Alabama school. Maybe the Expos should have taken Derek Jeter or Jason Kandall or Johnny Damon in that draft and things might have been a little different as a franchise.

Professional Tailgating: What's the name of this place

After a couple of months away, the OTWT Tailgating Crew returned to Rutgers for a football game, but many things have changed since we where there for the spring game. 

The RAC has turned into an active construction zone

 It's no longer Rutgers Stadium. It's now High Point Solutions Stadium 

 Nothing beats a live mascot 

Rutgers take the field for the first time 

True freshman Savon Huggins score his first, of what will be many, touchdowns

Is there such a thing as college sports reporting anymore

Have major universities and colleges made it too hard to cover college sports? Around the country it's becoming harder and harder to cover sports at the college level. Programs have started to restrict access to players and coaches. The journalism site, When Journalism Fails, take a look at what is happening around the country.

StrasMas Part 2

Its the second coming. Stephen Strasburg of Washington Nationals set to return to majors on Sept. 6. This is the best news Nationals fans have had since they signed their four top picks in this years draft.

Is Ross Barkley the New Wayne RooneyEverton rising star Ross Barkley | Mail Online

While Everton might be a mess, when it comes to come money, they do have something to smile about: Ross Barkley. Everton's rising star Barkley is the best come out of their academy since Rooney. Over the last couple of years, Everton's academy has produced a ton of talent over the last couple of years and is starting to look like the West Ham Academy that produced so many great players in the '90's.

An Unlike Dream

For some the Europa League means nothing but to Irish club Shamrock Rovers it might as well be the Champions League. After fighting extinction, Shamrock Rovers are savouring their chance to play European football. While some kill the Europa League, I can not wait to the see the small little club that could play Spurs in the group stages.

A new Premier League Transfer Policy

Things are changing in the Premier League, gone are the days of clubs spending $14 million on a 26 year old players, now its all about the kids. The Daily Mail's Matt Barlow takes an interesting look at practice.Clubs are looking at the resale value of a player kind of like what happened with Ronald at Manchester United.  

Such a sad story

For years she has been most dominating coach in college sports, but now Pat Summitt is fighting a different battle. The Lady Vols head coach has been diagnosed with the early onset dementia. Such a sad story, I hope that she is able to battle through and coach as long as she wants.

Prospect Watching: Harrisburg Senators

The original reason for making the three hour drive to Harrisburg was to see Bryce Harper play in Double A, but that did not happen after he got hurt and was ruled out for the rest of the season. But that did not stop me from scouting a couple of other Nationals prospects.

After Harper, the next best ranked player in the system is catcher Derek Norris. During game Norris struck out twice and did not look doing it against a left handed pitcher. Norris was the second ranked player in the Nats system coming into the season by Baseball American, but that is going to change after the season is over. My only question is what positions does he play, Wilson Ramos appears to the be the catcher of the future, so does that mean Norris moves to first base. I know he has impressive stats, but I think that he will never make the grade in Washington

 

Professional Tailgating: A trip to Expo's Mecca

For Expos fan, a trip to see the Harrisburg Senators is a like a trip to mecca. For years the Senators have played a key role in player development and that appears to be continuing with Strasburg and Harper suiting up for the them over the last couple of years

Senators = Championships

 Brandon Phillips once part of the doomed Bartolo Colon deal

 You know its Minor League Baseball when the kids are warming up with the players

 Vlad near I say anything else. The banners around the stadium show how many great players that have come through Harrisburg

 Somewhere Phillies rookie pitcher Michael Stutes is smiling 

 Downtown Harrisburg

Also during the game the Senator's gave out t-shirts honoring their 25th anniversary team, later in the look we will take a look at that, I do have some issues with their picks.

It's not the Yankees and Red Sox anymore

In the past teams like the Yankees and Red Sox dominated the signing bonus list in Major League Baseball, but this year that all changed. Instead of the Sox and Yanks, the list is topped by the Pirates and Nationals. This shows that other teams are willing to invest in young players.

The New Fab Four

During the last two drafts the Nationals have shown they are willing to spend money and this year was no different as the Nats splashed the cash. The Nats spent $16.5 million to sign Anthony Rendon and other top Nationals draft picks at the signing deadline last night. Who knows if the Rendon, Meyer, Goodwin and Purke will work out, but for Nationals fans it shows the organization is willing to spend for top players.