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TOP STORIES - DECEMBER 7, 2005 Get your NFL football tickets now at TickCo. They have all team Cardinals tickets, Cowboys tickets, Packers tickets, Colts tickets, Patriots tickets, Titans tickets and more. Get your Super Bowl tickets here! KACSPORTS FIFTH ANNIVERSAY SPECIAL: WHO ARE THE TOP 50 SPORTSMEN OF THE LAST FIVE YEARS??? 25 YEARS AGO: A Dolphins-Patriots game with playoff implications on Monday Night Football was heading towards overtime when Howard Cosell read a bulletin announcing that ex-Beatle John Lennon had been shot and was prounounced dead on arrival. This would be the first word that many got of the tragic event in the pre-internet/pre cable-TV age.  POLICE STATE - FORD FIELD: Continuing this week's theme of things getting ugly in losing NFL cities - things really got bad over the weekend with security feverishly trying to remove 'Fire Millen' signs and banners during the Lions home game at Ford Field. The team maintains that it is actually a general policy to ban all signs at the five-year old facility. One TV station asks in a poll whether the team handled the situation well, the current tally was 654-19 for no, leaving 2.8% that said yes - like I've said in the past you'll get a higher percentage of people who think professional wrestling is real. Also, Jeff Garcia girlfriend Carmella DeCesare vented on sportstalk radio criticizing fans, not only for booing Garcia, but Millen, Joey Harrington, and the team as well. That's called fans fed up with a losing culture, not a personal vandetta. Meanwhile the 'Fire Millen' campaign is picking up even more steam with signs now even appearing at Detroit Red Wing games, and hundreds, maybe even thousands of fans planning on wearing Fire Millen hats and shirts to the Lions next home game. I wouldn't even count out some making the trip down from the U.P. and making the trip to Lambeau this Sunday, where the 'Fire Millen' and 'Fire Sherman' crowd can get together.PUTTING CART BEFORE THE HORSE??? CHAD JOHNSON CALLS HIS SHOT: We couldn't even get through Monday this week without Chad making news, as he predicts on the Dan Patrick show that the Bengals will win in Indy come playoff time. Well, to beat the man, you first got to play the man - and if the season ended today Cincy would (a) have to beat San Diego in a first-round game then (b) win in mile high Denver the next week. That's a very tall order before you even get to see the Colts. I say get the #2 seed and the first round bye before you even start dreaming about getting another crack at Indy.  PUMP UP THE VOLUME??? ESPN reporter claims piped in noise at Colts game.WORLD CUP VIOLENCE UPDATE: German organizers have decided to keep netting behind the goals for the upcoming World Cup after a pair of incidents over the weekend. One player was left bleeding after getting hit in the head with a drumstick while another was pelted with debris while being CARRIED FROM THE FIELD UNCOUNSCIOUS!!! And you thought Philly fans were rough.  JUNIOR, GORDON SNUB NASCAR!?!? Sanctioning body not happy at it's two best-known drivers both skipped the year-end banquet. Gordon had a seat for getting the 11th place trophy while Junior was named Most Popular Driver, and award he's a lock to win every year provided as long as he never becomes a registered Democrat. Gordon was off for some race in Paris while Junior had no real excuse to miss the event, rather than both would have had to bring dates. Elliott Sadler and Kasey Kahne were also slated to receive various awards but were no shows, while Tony Stewart missed a Friday morning breakfast where he was to receive some checks because he had a migraine. Don't know about you, but I'd crawl off my deathbed if someone was going to hand me a few hundred thousand in checks over breakfast. In the future, NASCAR is considering revoking reward money for anyone who dares skip the Holiday party. 'SPEED' RACER IN F1: You mean Americans are allowed to race Formula One??? Next thing you know the U.S. will win the World Cup. Dude's name is Scott Speed, how cool is that??? I'm guessing he will be driving the Mach 5 and Racer X will be signed as his teammate. Have always been a big fan or racers who also double as masked wrestlers. As far as I know Scott Speed is not a relation to Lake Speed, which is still the coolest name in the history of racing.JOSH SMITH SUSPENDED TWO GAMES: Did I tell you two weeks ago that he will soon supplant Ron Artest as the NBA's resident hot head??? Although I again ask, if he plays for the Hawks does it make a sound. They say Josh popped someone in the head with an elbow the other night. What does Stu Jackson do when Josh really goes off??? DOUBLE-TAKE - TWIN MODELS FINISH WITH IDENTICAL TIMES: Former cross-country standouts from Wisconsin finish Vegas Marathon with times of 3:34:51. AT LEAST HE DIDN'T BLOW HIS SCORING AVERAGE: Seattle forward Rashard Lewis charged with drunken driving, stemming from an incident in late September. Lewis' 700-series BMW was one of five cars driving at speeds up to 84 MPH. Trooper tries to pull over all five cars, but only two stopped. Lewis failed a field sobriety test and then blew a .132. THINGS GET UGLY IN BUFFALO: Not quite as bad as Green Bay, but it's getting close in Buffalo, where 'cocky' QB J.P. Losman apparently isn't a big favorite in the locker room. Team president Tom Donahoe gets snippy in the aftermath of Bills' fourth-quarter meltdown in Miami. When a caller on his radio show asked if he could do fans a favor by resigning, Donahoe told the caller that there were other radio stations in town he could call if he wants to act like a jerk. And then there's Willis McGahee, the best running back in football - after the game he noted that going over 1,000 yards for the year was 'his highlight', and that if he called the plays he would get 60 carries per game. But unfortunately for Willis, he's not an immediate candidate to become offensive coordinator. By this time next year a reporter might be asking Rosenhaus what he's done for McGahee besides get him kicked off the Bills. Ahhh, the Bills have McGahee but Miami has the Juice. SPEAKING OF THE DEVIL: JAVON WALKER PARTS WAYS WITH ROSENHAUS.GLOBAL WARMING THREATENING HOCKEY??? As the season's first blast of Arctic air digs deep into the U.S., activists at the U.N. climate change conference in Montreal shot straight for the Canadian heart by warning of the unthinkable, the end of ice hockey due to global warming. Players in the 'Climate Change Classic' faced off in a game set in the year 2020. Having become too warm for ice, the game became a frustrating exercise of trying to pass the puck while sloshing in ankle-deep water. The action-slowing practice of firing the puck to the opposite end of the rink was no longer known as icing, but 'slushing.' Finally, players dropped their sticks and gloves and gave up and then held a 'memorial service' before heading off to a game of water polo. PETE CARROLL HEADING FOR NFL??? Rome says he 'can’t throw running back dummies off the roof of the library for the rest of his life.' Does that mean a #4 manican goes flying off the roof of the Hutson Center next August?? Peter Brown would probably cheer. FROM BLUE-CHIPPER TO THE SLAMMER: Former Purdue football player Kyle Williams jailed in connection with assaults on two women. Police said an 18-year-old student was found unconscious and bleeding in the parking lot behind a sorority house while a second student reported being attacked by a man fitting Williams description and hour and a half later. Williams was one of the nation's top high school linebacking prospects as a senior last year and was named a first team All-American by several publications. Williams left the Purdue program just last month.  WOMAN'S ROLLER DERBY HITS MILWAUKEE!!! Yup, they're supposed to work out right down the street from me. Inspired by grass-roots leagues that had sprouted since the success of a league in Austin, TX, the BrewCity Bruisers have been born into existence. So far, more than 60 women have showed up to the informational meetings for the Milwaukee league. Unlike the televised Roller Derby that packed stadiums during the 1950's and 1960's, roller derby's new wave is being fueled by independent leagues made up mostly of women with names such as Misty Meanor and Lucille Brawl.MLB ANNOUNCERS SILLY SEASON: Turns out that the White Sox World Series win would be the final game John Rooney would call in his 18-year tenure with the team - as he was surpisingly let go. Rooney was quickly snatched up by the St. Louis Cardinals, in turn unceremoniously dumping Wayne Hagin after three years. Hagin (who once worked with Rooney with the White Sox) is now rumored to become one of the Houston Astros announcers. Rooney is considered a protege of Jack Buck (and uses his 'that's a winner' line) and the Cardinals maintain that the only reason they didn't go after him three years ago was because he was under contract with the White Sox. A common denominator between the two moves is the fact that both teams are switching flagship stations for the 2006 season.   TOMMY TROJAN OR JOE BRUIN??? Some are calling it the biggest game of the regular season in college football, which would be fine if I hadn't called USC/Notre Dame the Game of the Century a few weeks back and if SC wasn't favored by 23. Still, it's the battle for LA and the last game in the Coliseum for what has become a virtual All-Star team. HOT TICKET!!! Tickets for the game are commanding unprecedented near Super Bowl-like sums, with some going for as much as $2,500 per ticket, according to ticket brokers. LENDALE WHITE HALLOWEEN 'SUICIDE': Is this how he hurt his shoulder??? Reggie Bush's backup starts complaining in practice, and says he's fed up with not getting enough carries. Pete Carroll 'hears enough' and kicks White off the field. LenDale storms off and throws his gloves away in front of reporters. Carroll gathers the team around, saying they 'don't need distractions' and that they will continue to win without him. Minutes later, White appears on top of a nearby four-story science building and yells 'F---' FOOTBALL!!!' An equipment manager lunges for #21, but what turns out to be a dummy flutters to the ground below. Some teammates were visibly shaken at first, but Reggie Bush was among those who soon began running and jumping around in laughter upon realizing it was all a prank. COMING NEXT WEEK - SC SNUBBED BY BCS??? Actually, this is in the video game world. It is late next year, and the 9-1 Trojans are ranked #3 in both polls and in the BCS, behind 10-1 LSU and undefeated Oklahoma, who just blew out Temple in a make-up game after one of 36 named storms in the 2006 season (so many that the National Hurricane Center now just names them after U-M players) plowed up the east coast. Trojans now either need to make a statement by beating the crap out of Notre Dame, or just win and hope that OU or LSU somehow lose their conference championship games. And the true sophomore sensation who's about to walk off with the Heisman is about to challenge the NFL Draft, provided the Raiders trade up for the #1 overall pick. Someone call Hacksaw Hamilton and Sean David Morton - THIS IS AN OUTRAGE!!!!! NASCAR AWARDS CEREMONY: Swimmer Amanda Beard poses upon entering as AP photographer Jason DeCrow has one of the best jobs on the planet at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel Friday night.BEARD, CARL EDWARDS & HIS MOM | KURT BUSCH AND FIANCEE (HOT!!) GREG BIFFLE AND DATE | JIMMIE JOHNSON & MRS. CHAMP DATELESS: My man Tony Stewart accepts championshp trophy minus trophy escort. When asked if he was wearing the same tuxedo he might at his wedding 'some day', Stewart replies 'That's not happening for a long time!!!'BATTLE OF THE MURRAY'S IN OTTAWA: 'Interleague' play begins in the NHL - as LA Kings irritant Sean Avery making his first appearance before a French Canadian crowd since making disparaging remarks before the season. Sure enough, bad blood erupts as 95 penalty minutes were handed out in the final period of a 5-1 Ottawa victory. After the game Kings coach Andy Murray and Senators coach Bryan Murray traded barbs and Bryan Murray also chased down a Kings TV commentator who said on-air that the coach was 'unprofessional' and has a 'reputation'. It gets even better for Avery tonight as the Kings go deeper into French territory, heading up the road to Montreal. Have a feeling CBC will get monster ratings for that one. QUEBEC 'NATIONAL' TEAM??? Fresh on the heels of former Canadian Minister of Defense Paul Hellyer asking parliament to hold hearings on E.T. civilizations comes this - Quebec politician Gilles Duceppe wants Quebec to field it's own hockey team in the Olympics - pointing out that countries within Great Britain such as Scotland and Wales are able to field their own squads for international soccer competitions, although they had national federations before FIFA was formed, and thus were grandfathered in.THREE DOORS DOWN: Northwestern linebacker Tim McGarigle charged with two misdemeanors after trying to break into neighbors house. McGarigle's story was that he was disoriented after being dropped off from a bar and thought he was trying to enter his own house, which was three doors away. Police say McGarigle was apologetic and offered to make restitution for a broken window ($150). McGarigle says he's sorry and didn't mean to embarrass his family or team, and doesn't want to become a destraction with a rare bowl date upcoming. Dude, you go to Northwestern, you should know where you live - although all bets are probably off when plowed.  NANCY KERRIGAN KNEE-WHACKER, WOULD-BE SEAL DENIED!!! A judge refused to clear the record of the man who whacked Olympic skater Nancy Kerrigan in 1994, likely ending the man's hopes to become a Navy SEAL. 34 year-old Shane Stant made the request because the Navy's special warfare unit will not accept anyone with a felony conviction. Stant served 14 months in prison for the conspiracy involving skater Tonya Harding and her ex-husband when Harding was seeking the U.S. figure skating title and a spot on the 1994 Winter Olympics team. The plot was aimed at disabling Kerrigan, Harding's chief competitor.MARLINS TO TRADE LUIS CASTILLO: Second baseman to be traded as part of the teams fire sale, I meant 'market correction'. When does Dontrelle Willis and Miguel Cabrera go to the GM's office and ask out. CHAD JOHNSON HINTING BEST CELEBRATION YET??? It might incite a riot but here it goes anyway - Johnson says Bengals have some things to iron out in Steel City, CJ then says with a wink that the key words are 'iron out'. The resusicitation stunt in Jacksonville was one thing, desicrating a Terrible Towel may very well be a different deal.  BRET BOONE'S MAKEOVER??? Last seen getting unceremoniously dumped from Minnesota after hitting .170 in 14 games last year, Seattle TV now reports Boone (complete with dyed-haired makeover) working out like crazy at a local gym in a last-ditch attempt to save his career. Vegas Insider Norm Clarke also reports that Boone had quite a day recently at a resort, saying that his 'spies' saw him tipping over a golf cart then later making a scene at a bar - perhaps he and Chris Chelios can compare notes on being subjects of Clarke columns.'HUMBLED' BUSCH RESURFACES: Saying he had bawled like a baby during his season-ending two race suspension, five-foot weiner Kurt Busch (the Oscar Meyer sponsorship was always a natural) shows up for NASCAR's annual Christmas party in New York. Too bad he's on his best behavior, how special would a Busch v. NYPD confrontation be??? Meanwhile, just how eager is Jack Roush to wash his hands from Busch??? When Jamie McMurray steps into Busch's old ride in February, it will be the #26 car as opposed to the #97. IRVIN TWISTS IN THE WIND FOR A WEEK: Of course we've seen one week suspensions turn into permanent banishments before. You may see #88 back on Countdown next week if he can manage to be as contrite as Kurt Busch. And any embarrasing material I'm caught with in the future will now automatically belong to my buddy. AL MICHAELS STAT: Detroit rookie goaltender Jimmy Howard faces penalty shot in third period of game v. Calgary. Howard also had to face a penalty shot earlier in the week in Los Angeles. So??? Those were Howard's first two games in the National League. According to the Red Wings PR department, Howard is the first netminder in NHL history to face penalty shots in the first two games of a career. FANTASY FOOTBALL DISASTER - NEIL RACKERS HURT: Freakin' kickers. |
2003 NFL DRAFT PROFILES
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