Archive for October 21st, 2008

WATERCOOLER CHAT: PATRIOTS STUN ON MNF, 49ERS COACH FIRED

Whoa, a HUGE surprise on Monday Night Football.  These match-ups are set before the season, so both the NFL and ESPN have no idea how good or bad the teams will actually be when they square off on Monday Night.  Last night, it was the Patriots (who ESPN assumed would have Tom Brady and their explosive offense) against the Denver Broncos.  Going into the game, the Pats were written off for dead, given that they played horrendous last week, and Matt Cassel didn’t seem fit to be a starting quarterback.  (After all, before starting for the Patriots, he hadn’t started a game since High School).  Plus, Jay Cutler and the surging Broncos would surely walk all over these guys, right?  Dead… wrong.  New England looked like, well, New England.  Matt Cassel threw for 185 yards and 3 touchdowns (low yardage, but Brady TD numbers), Randy Moss hauled in two touchdowns, and the veteran Running Back, Sammy Morris, ran for a 138 yards and a score.  Meanwhile, Denver looked awful, turning the ball over 5 times and only putting up 1 TD.  This game was just more proof ‘Why We Play The Games’.  You just never know in the NFL.  New England 41, Denver 7.

Elsewhere in the NFL — more coach firings.  Yep, the latest to go — 49ers coach, Mike Nolan.  The Niners got off to a hot start this season, and looked like an actual playoff contender, but their last 3 games have been abysmal.  They look like they’re heading to another losing, forgettable season, where the fans talk themselves into ‘next year’ yet again.  But, perhaps new head coach, Mike Singletary, will turn things around.  You might remember Singletary from the famous Chicago Bears 85 team.  He was the guy with the scary, shifty eyes.

Now, the question remains — is Cowboys coach, Wade Phillips the next to go?  Cowboys owner Jerry Jones has very little tolerance for losing, and that’s exactly what Wade Phillips is doing right now.

BASEBALL

Finally, some bad news for FOX and Major League Baseball.  While avid baseball fans might be excited about a fantastic showdown between the Phillies and Devil Rays, most of the country probably won’t watch.  Essentially, unless the Mets, Yankees, Red Sox, Dodgers, Cubs or possibly the Braves are involved (all BIG market teams with fan bases all over the country), the Series should expect low ratings.  Baseball just isn’t as ‘must-watch’ as it used to be a few decades ago.  Football is the new American past time, and baseball has taken a distant back seat.  Ratings experts are predicting this could be the lowest rated World Series ever.  Philly has very little fans outside PA, and most people probably don’t even know that Tampa Bay has a baseball team.  However, it’s still going to be a great World Series.  Isn’t that enough to tune in?

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