This and That
Each week I'll talk about the world of sports …
• The Phillies took charge of the World Series with home wins in game three and four. Credit Ryan Howard and starting pitching as the keys to the two Ws. Howard hit three home runs in the two games, while Joe Blanton and Jamie Moyer controlled the Rays. Moyer was brilliant in game three but got no decision. Evan Longoria and Carlos Pena continued to struggle for Tampa Bay. I just hope the Rays can win game five and send the series back to Florida. It has been a great season for Joe Maddon and company, and I would love to see one more home game at the Trop!
• It looks like Penn State will get through the season with a perfect record after the big win at Ohio State. Now the Nittany Lions need Alabama or Texas to lose a game. Penn State has Iowa, Indiana and Michigan State left on the docket. Unless the Nittany Lions beat themselves, I don't see an L there. Joe Paterno was questioned by some a few years ago. If he won the national championship and then stepped away, that would be a great way to go out, on top!
• Colt McCoy has been brilliant. He was 38-for-45, including many important completions, in a tooth-and-nail win over Oklahoma State. Texas has to go to Lubbock to face the unbeaten Red Raiders and Graham Harrell. That should be a great shootout.
• Florida and Georgia each put on offensive shows last week. The Gators seem to be heating up, and the two SEC rivals meet this weekend in a key contest. Tim Tebow and company vs. Knowshon Moreno, Matthew Stafford and the Dawgs … wow!
• I was thrilled to hear Albert Pujols won the Roberto Clemente Award. He is more than just a great player, he is a great person and humanitarian. Pujols cares about people.
• I want to send best wishes to golfer Seve Ballesteros, who recently had a third surgery to remove a cancerous brain tumor. My friends, we have got to beat this disease, It is so sad to think of a man like Ballesteros, just in his 50s, battling for his life.
• Also making headlines last week was the retirement of Lute Olson. He had a great career, with five Final Fours (four with Arizona, one with Iowa), plus the 1997 national championship win over Kentucky. I wish him well in the future as he enjoys life with his family. There is so much pressure on today's coaches in college athletics.
• I found the reports of a potential offer to Manny Ramirez amazing. One of them said the Dodgers were willing to offer close to $30 million for two seasons. Yes, he is an important player, but that much money to swing a bat? The Dodgers denied the report. Meanwhile, there were indications that Ramirez and his agent wanted more years in any contract he would consider.
• The story involved Brett Favre and Matt Millen last week seemed to be blown out more than it should have. I don't know if Favre reached out to Millen, and personally I doubt he did. Nonetheless, in pro sports, it happens all the time when a player leaves a team, he is asked for information about a former employer. It's called getting an edge, and you see NFL players picked up off waivers just so they can give information about a future opponent, ideas of schemes, trends, anything that could help.
• Isn't it amazing that as soon as something goes wrong, an assistant coach or coordinator gets blamed. Look at what happened in Dallas last week. Wade Phillips knew he needed to change things up, so he takes over the play-calling duties. OK, so the Cowboys defense held Tampa Bay in check. Let's face it -- Dallas is a very different team without Tony Romo at the controls. The offense is not where it should be given the talent there TO, Marion Barber, Jason Witten and Roy Williams.
• Next up for Dallas is an NFC East battle against the Giants. Tom Coughlin's team came from behind to get a big win at Pittsburgh.
