Archive for the ‘NFL’ Category

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »

Obit watch: November 13, 2019.

Wednesday, November 13th, 2019

Zeke Bratkowski, Green Bay Packers quarterback. He didn’t quite get the level of fame he probably deserved as he spent most of his time backing up some guy named Starr.

By way of Lawrence: Charles Rogers, first round NFL draft choice (and second overall pick) in 2003.

The 6-foot-3, 220-pounder had just 36 catches for 440 yards with four touchdowns in 15 games before he left the league in 2005.

Also by way of Lawrence: Virginia Leith. Possibly an obscure figure, but some folks may remember her as “Jan” (or “Jan In the Pan”) from “The Head Brain That Wouldn’t Die”, which was (of course) a MST3K.

Interestingly, she also did guest shots on some of the better cop shows of the 1970s: “Baretta”, “Starsky and Hutch”, “Barnaby Jones”. “Police Woman”.

Frank Giles, former editor of The Sunday Times of London. He may be best remembered as the man who published the Hitler diaries, though he claimed he knew they were fake and Rupert Murdoch ordered them published anyway.

Posted in 1970s, History, Media, Movies, Nazis, NFL, Obits, Sports, TV | Comments Closed

Your loser update: week 10, 2019.

Monday, November 11th, 2019

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

Cincinnati

Not much more to say than that, really.

Posted in Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Your loser update; week 9, 2019 (with bonus firings).

Sunday, November 3rd, 2019

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

Cincinnati (bye week)

NBA teams that still have a chance to go 0-82:

None.

As I expected, the hapless Dolphins apparently acquired at least one hap on the open market during the week, and managed to beat the Jets in Miami. This may screw up their shot at the top draft pick: currently, we have

  • The Bengals at 0-8
  • Miami at 1-7
  • The Jets at 1-7
  • Washington at 1-8
  • and Atlanta at 1-7

As I said last week, I think Miami has a good chance of at least one more win against the Bengals at home, and maybe wins against the Jets and Giants on the road.

Stat:

“Since Marino’s exit, 21 quarterbacks have started for Miami.”

In firings news, Willie Taggart out as head coach of Florida State after about two seasons. To be exact, 21 games, in which he was 9-12.

According to ESPN:

FSU raised about $20 million in private donations to buy out what was left of Taggart’s contract, sources told ESPN’s Mark Schlabach. However, an FSU official denied that the money was raised for Taggart’s buyout.
Under the terms of Taggart’s six-year, $30 million contract, FSU’s athletic department will owe him 85% of his remaining compensation through Jan. 31, 2024, which is between $17 million and $18 million. The Seminoles also paid Oregon a $3 million buyout when it hired him away from the Ducks in December 2017, as well as the remaining $1.3 million buyout Oregon owed South Florida when it hired him in December 2016.

Also by way of the Entertainment and Sports Programming Network:

Bayern Munich have sacked Niko Kovac as manager after Saturday’s embarrassing 5-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt, the club announced on Sunday.

If you feel like you’re having a stroke, you’re probably not: this is just German soccer news. (But do remember the FAST mnemonic for strokes: Face, Arms, Speech, Time.)

Posted in Firings, Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

And now here’s something we hope you really like…

Wednesday, October 30th, 2019

A little late on this one, but: Ken Whisenhunt out as offensive coordinator of the worthless Los Angeles Chargers.

The Arena Football League (also apparently known as Arena Football One) has “shut down all local business operations and services for all six of its teams“. I think I speak for everyone here when I say: they were still in business?

The paper of record asks the musical question:

Just How Bad Are the Miami Dolphins?

Summary: pretty bad.

And something non-sports related for my people: the Squibb Park Bridge, a pedestrian bridge in Brooklyn, is being demolished and replaced.

By the time the new bridge is completed, the group that operates Brooklyn Bridge Park will have spent about $14 million — $7.5 million for the original bridge and the failed attempts at repairs, and $6.5 million to $7 million for the new one.

Why? Well, the old bridge was designed to be bouncy. Turns out, it was a little too bouncy.

It was fun, at least at first, and it was deliberate. Its designer, Ted Zoli — the winner of a MacArthur “genius” grant in 2009 — intended it to bounce underfoot as people walked along.

It also was moving in unintended directions. Hilarity (and lawsuits) ensued. And then it turned out the wood was rotting…

Posted in Bridges, Firings, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Your loser update: week 8, 2019.

Tuesday, October 29th, 2019

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

Miami
Cincinnati

NBA teams that still have a chance to go 0-82:

Indiana
New Orleans
Sacramento

Since Miami lost, there will be a loser update next week, though it may not go up until Monday morning. As previously discussed, the Bengals have a bye in week 9. Miami plays at home against the 1-6 Jets Sunday afternoon: I’m thinking they have a good chance of winning that one.

Looking over the schedule, Miami plays the Jets again (on the road) in week 14, the Giants (also on the road) in week 15, and the Bengals at home in week 16.

Historically. at this point in the season, we’re averaging 1.0 winless teams, so we’re statistically a little bit ahead. But I’m skeptical that we will end up with a winless team this year: I think Miami has a good chance of beating the Jets, the Giants, and the Bengals, and I’m skeptical that the Bengals will be able to run the table the rest of the season.

Posted in Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Your loser update: week 7, 2019.

Sunday, October 20th, 2019

Even though this isn’t quite loser update material, and even though my feelings about baseball are well known, I think I need to say something about the Houston Astros beating Satan’s minions on Earth, the New York Yankees, and going to the World Series again.

With that said, NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

Miami
Cincinnati

My historical data is mostly at work, but I think we’re a little ahead of the average for NFL week 7.

The Bungles Bengals bye comes in week 9, for those keeping score at home.

Posted in Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Clippings.

Friday, October 18th, 2019

I went back and forth on linking this one: as I’ve said before, I don’t really like ESPN. But this morning’s Linkswarm (with the Deshaun Watson article) pushed me into it.

Profile of Sabrina Greenlee, mother of Houston Texans receiver DeAndre Hopkins.

Every time the Houston Texans play at home, DeAndre Hopkins’ mother, Sabrina Greenlee, sits in the same spot in the end zone, close enough to the field to hear the ball smack against the turf. It’s Week 2, and Houston is playing the Jacksonville Jaguars; she’s flanked by her two daughters, sitting perfectly still as the countdown clock ticks down to zero. When it’s time for the home team to run through the gate, a massive flamethrower erupts nearby. Greenlee recoils, and her eyes, which are the same cloudy shade of white as an overcast sky, glisten from the heat. A few minutes later, Hopkins emerges from the tunnel — he’s always the last player on offense to come out, Greenlee explains — and she smiles.
She can’t see her son, but she knows he’s there.

This is old, but still interesting, and it just came across the Hacker News Twitter: I survived the “Destroying Angel”.

I felt queasy. It was the same feeling I had when I had food poisoning. Before I had any more time to assess my state, I realized I needed to get to the bathroom. I barely made it to the royal throne when I started heaving my guts out. The vomiting reflex was strong. The pressure of the strong contractions forced stuff out both ends of the GI tract, uncontrollably. I had a severe case of vomiting and diarrhea. At that point, deep down I knew I had made the big mistake: I HAD EATEN AMANITA VIROSA, AKA, “THE DESTROYING ANGEL”.

Amazingly, the author lived. Without a liver transplant.

I found out that of three people admitted in 2006 to Strong Memorial with Amanita poisoning, I am the only one to have survived; 66% died.

I think part of the reason I like this is that it reminds me of one of my favorite Berton Roueché “Annals of Medicine” essays: a first-hand account by a professional snake handler of being bitten by a red diamond rattlesnake. If you’re a subscriber, you can read that on the New Yorker web site here.

Posted in Geek, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Your loser update: week 6, 2019.

Monday, October 14th, 2019

I knew that at least one team was going to come off the list (because of Washington – Miami). But I don’t think anyone was expecting Dallas to lose to the hapless Jets.

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

Miami
Cincinnati

I went back over my historical records, and it looks like we’re pretty much on track: the average number of teams with 0 wins at week 6 of the season is 1.6.

Posted in Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Your loser update: week 5, 2019.

Monday, October 7th, 2019

I didn’t think there was a whole lot to say this morning, but:

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

New York Jets
Miami (bye week)
(Edited to add) Cincinnati (I think I accidentally deleted them when I was deleting Denver: thanks to Lawrence for pointing that out.)
Washington

As I was pulling this together, I started seeing reports that Jay Gruden is out as head coach of the Redskins. The reports are all “sources say” but there’s a press conference scheduled for 1 PM EDT.

Gruden had been the longest-tenured Redskins head coach in the two decades that Daniel Snyder has owned the franchise, but his 35-49-1 record in a little more than five seasons and the team’s inability to make the playoffs more than one time ultimately cost him his job.

Worth noting: next Sunday is this year’s edition of the “Who Cares?” bowl, in which Washington plays at Miami. I’m halfway tempted to watch this, as I kind of expect epic ineptitude on display.

Posted in Firings, Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Obit watch: October 3, 2019.

Thursday, October 3rd, 2019

Bill Bidwill, owner of the Arizona (formerly St. Louis) Cardinals.

Under Bidwill’s ownership, the Cardinals toiled in mediocrity. They had five winning seasons from 1972 until Ken Whisenhunt was hired as head coach in 2007, Michael’s first year in charge. The Cardinals went to their first and only Super Bowl the next season.

I’m wondering if we’re going to see an NFL team for sale soon, and if that’s going to result in a possible relocation. LA and Las Vegas are off the map…but with the St. Louis Rams gone, and a past history for the Cardinals there…?

John Rothman. Kind of an obscure figure, but interesting: he pioneered electronic access to the NYT archives.

Working on the index led Mr. Rothman to think about how computers could store, sort and deliver abstracts of Times content to users at the paper and other locations, like public libraries, universities and major corporations. He proposed the Information Bank — the Times Index writ large — in 1965 and began working on it with IBM the next year.

…

In 1972, Times staff members began testing the Information Bank as a research tool. It would soon augment the paper’s archives, known as the morgue, where file cabinets are packed with clippings dating to the 19th century. In Times Talk, the paper’s in-house newsletter, Mr. Rothman assured colleagues that “once the basic methods” of searching the Information Bank were mastered, “retrieving the information is quite simple.”
In late 1972, the first installation of the Information Bank outside The New York Times was made at the University of Pittsburgh’s Hillman Library. Within six months, its 14 customers included NBC, The Associated Press, the State Department, the C.I.A., the Library of Congress, Exxon and the Chase Manhattan Bank.

I’ve been running behind, so for this historical record: Jessye Norman.

Posted in Geek, Music, NFL, Obits, Sports | 2 Comments »

Your loser update: week 4, 2019.

Tuesday, October 1st, 2019

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

New York Jets (bye week)
Miami
Cincinnati
Denver
Washington

In other news about minor sports, it looks like I was wrong in thinking there wasn’t going to be a historically bad baseball team this year. At least, depending on how you define “historically bad”.

The Detroit Tigers finished 47-114 (one game towards the end of the season was cancelled and they didn’t have a chance to play a make-up) for a .292 average. Wikipedia’s cutoff for “worst Major League Baseball season records” is .300 or below, which puts them 16th on the list for the “modern” era. (Wikipedia has them at .291, or .001 better than the 2018 Baltimore Orioles. I’m not sure why they give different numbers than MLB.com, but I’m going to blame floating point math.)

Speaking of Baltimore, they finished 54-108, with a .333 winning percentage. 108 losses is kind of pathetic, but…

Orioles GM Mike Elias finds positives in rebuild after 108-loss season

“Hey, we stank. But at least we weren’t the worst team in MLB this year! And we didn’t lose as many games as we did last year!”

Posted in Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Your loser update: week 3, 2019.

Tuesday, September 24th, 2019

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

New York Jets
Miami
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Denver
Washington

I’m liking the Jets and Dolphins chances, but it is still early.

It looks like the baseball season is still going on, so next week’s loser update may include some commentary. I don’t think there’s a historically bad team this year, but Detroit could come close.

Posted in Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Obits and firings: September 21, 2019.

Saturday, September 21st, 2019

Andy Green out as manager of the San Diego Padres. 274-366 over basically four years, during which the team never finished above .500. And they lost at least 90 games in the first three seasons. (They’re 69-85 right now.) ESPN.

Obit: Barron Hilton, son of Conrad Hilton, grandfather of Paris, and last survivor of the original AFL team owners. Sadly, the team he owned was the worthless Los Angeles (at the time) Chargers, but that was hardly his fault.

Marko Feingold. He was Austria’s oldest survivor of the Holocaust, and died at 106.

(Hattip on the Feingold and Green stories to Lawrence. Hattip on the de Blasio obit to Mike the Musicologist.)

Posted in Firings, NFL, Obits, Sports | Comments Closed

Your loser update: week 2, 2019.

Tuesday, September 17th, 2019

Well, things are shaping up. The Jets are using a practice squad quarterback as their starter, Pittsburgh lost their starting quarterback for the season, the Saints lost theirs for six weeks…and the Browns won. Even with the Browns winning, I’m excited about the prospects for an 0-16 team this year.

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

New York Jets
Miami
Cincinnati
Pittsburgh
Jacksonville
Denver
Washington
New York Football Giants
Carolina

Posted in Loser, NFL, Sports | Comments Closed

Your loser update: week 1, 2019.

Tuesday, September 10th, 2019

Welcome back, folks. Another year, another tie in the first game of the season, which means that the Lions and Cardinals (per our policy) are out of 0-16 contention.

Fortunately, there are a couple of teams that we think have a good shot at going all the way this year. In honor of the late great Manhattan Infidel, though, we plan to avoid jokes and snark at the expense of the Giants. Well, mostly.

NFL teams that still have a chance to go 0-16:

da Bears
New York Jets
Miami
Cincinnati
Cleveland
Pittsburgh
Houston
Indianapolis
Jacksonville
Denver
Washington
New York Football Giants
Carolina
Atlanta
Tampa Bay

Posted in Loser, NFL, Sports | 1 Comment »

« Older Entries
Newer Entries »