Archive for January 10th, 2011

WATERCOOLER CHAT: BALTIMORE DEFENSE GOT IT DONE, PACKERS HOLD OFF VICK, CAVS AND HEAT WON’T STAY IN SAME HOTEL

FOOTBALL

In the NFL, it was the final day of the Wild Card playoff round.  First up, it was the Baltimore Ravens heading to Kansas City.  Arrowhead stadium in KC is known as one of the toughest places to play when the fans get into it.  And with the Chiefs in the playoffs for the first time in years, you could expect an electric energy.  That would have worked had a ferocious Ravens team not come out and pounded the Chiefs.  The Baltimore defense smothered KC.  Chiefs quarterback Matt Cassel simply couldn’t do anything, even throwing some very crucial picks making it easy for the Ravens offense to score.  Ravens tight end Todd Heap had a terrific day with 102 yards receiving, but, more notably, for keeping the Ravens offense on the field.  Baltimore knew KC couldn’t score, and if they could just slowly move the ball down field and kill clock, they knew their defense would be able to have the rest they needed to completely destroy the Chiefs.  Now, the Ravens move on to play their division rival:  The Pittsburgh Steelers.  That should be an amazing battle.  Baltimore 30, Kansas City 7.

Next up, it was Michael Vick and the Philadelphia Eagles hosting Aaron Rodgers and the Green Bay Packers.  The Eagles have had an incredible season with Vick at the helm and were hoping to advance deep into the playoffs.  Rodgers, on the other hand, was looking to win in the playoffs.  His stats rival Peyton Manning’s and Tom Brady, but not winning in the playoffs keeps him out of that conversation for greatness.  The Packers got off to a strong start with Rodgers tossing two touchdown passes to take a 14-0 lead.  It would stay that way until the very end, when Vick and the Eagles actually found themselves with a chance to win late in the 4th quarter IN Packers territory.  With just 40 seconds on the clock, Vick went for it all throwing deep for Riley Cooper in the end zone, but it was intercepted by the Packers Tramon Williams.   And that was ball game — the end of a terrific, electrifying season for Vick and the Eagles.  But don’t worry, Vick will be back next year.

BASKETBALL

Finally, in the NBA, a very funny story.  The Cleveland Cavaliers and the Miami Heat obviously have a very peculiar relationship with LeBron James (the former King of Cleveland) now utilizing his talents in South Beach.  The Cavaliers needed to stay in Los Angeles for an extended stay this week.  The Miami Heat would also be in town, and, in a move similar to that of a High School student, the Cavs organization decided to switch hotels.  Apparently the Heat were slotted to stay in the same hotel as the Cavs, and the Cavs didn’t want any altercations between them and LeBron James.  Perhaps they didn’t want to lose focus.  So they decided to stay at a different 5-star hotel down the road.

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