Sports

I would never have predicted this:

Joe Gibbs will return to coach the Washington Redskins, a team he led to three Super Bowl victories before retiring from football to focus on his Nascar team, according to a statement posted on his race team’s Web site.

Gibbs will be the sixth coach in 12 years for the floundering Redskins, who ended the season this year with a 5-11 record, missing the playoffs for the fourth consecutive year. He replaces Steve Spurrier, who resigned on Dec. 30 after two losing seasons and three years left on his contract.

Predictably, Oliver is besides himself with joy. He has a right to be on this one, methinks. My only fear is that Gibbs will put himself in an early grave- he almost killed himself the last time around.

Gibbs to Coach RedskinsPost + Comments (3)

This breaking news:

Pete Rose, Major League Baseball’s career hit leader, has admitted that he gambled on baseball games while he was manager of the Cincinnati Reds, according to excerpts of a television interview .

In an interview for ABC’s Primetime Thursday to be broadcast this week, Rose said he bet on baseball in 1987 and 1988.

Asked by ABC’s Charles Gibson why he gambled, Rose said, according to interview excerpts released today: “Well, I wish I could answer that question, but I just can’t. I was wrong, I just, stupid, worst thing I ever did in my life.”

Put him in the Hall of Fame but keep him banned from baseball (he should never be allowed to disgrace a uniform again), and let’s quit talking about this ass. And for the love of God- put Shoeless Joe in, too.

From the “No Shit!” DepartmentPost + Comments (7)

Sometimes I wonder why the hell I root for any teams anymore, particularly after the way they treat me year in and year out. Let’s review the sports teams I love and review their performance over the past year:

1.) The Pittsburgh Pirates: The Pirates were 75-87 in 2003, thus successfully completing their 11th consecutive season of sub .500 baseball. A truly impressive performance.

2.) The Pittsburgh Steelers: The Steelers were also exceptionally impressive this year, racking up a wonderful 6-10 record in one of the easier divisions in football. Thought to be Super Bowl contenders in the pre-season, the Steelers made Cincinnatti look like an all-pro squad. Twice.

3.) The Pittsburgh Penguins: Halfway through the Hockey season, the Penguins are 9-21. This is not so upsetting, as I am used to the Penguins sucking (much like the Pirates). Not to mention Sports Illustrated, when ranking all the NHL teams in five categories (coaching, power play, short-handed, goalkeeping, and one more- I forget), had the Pirates ranked either 29th or 30th in every category.

4.) The WVU Mountaineers: Despite having an 8-4 regular season and providing some wonderful moments, we once again just rolled over and played dead in our bowl game. This statistic is worth repeating:

West Virginia is 1-10 in its last 11 bowl appearances, 0-2 during Rich Rodriguez’ tenure by a combined score of 89-29.

Oh well. Pitchers and catchers report in a few weeks, and we can start the misery all over again.

*** Update ***

Statboy corrects me in the comments:

The Steelers beat the Bengals the first time they played and looked reasonably good doing it. In the SI preview, the Penguins were 30th in every category except for one, and in that one they were 25th, not 29th.

Why Am I a Fan?Post + Comments (13)

And the annual WVU Bowl Game tradition continues:

Scott McBrien threw for a career-high 381 yards to help Maryland (No. 24 ESPN/USA Today, No. 23 AP) to a 41-7 victory over West Virginia (No. 23, No. 20) in the Gator Bowl on Thursday, a rematch of a regular-season game that was almost as lopsided…

Instead, they reinforced their remarkable penchant for flopping in bowl games. West Virginia is 1-10 in its last 11 bowl appearances, 0-2 during Rich Rodriguez’ tenure by a combined score of 89-29.

“Our preparation was probably no different than Maryland’s or anyone else’s,” Rodriguez said. “We were focused. Our intensity in practice was good. We were excited about playing. We just didn’t play well. Maryland’s a better team.”

Humiliating.

The Tradition ContinuesPost + Comments (3)

Bet against the team from Cleveland.

When In DoubtPost + Comments (5)

It is time to dump the BCS. Every year, some team does exactly what it is supposed to do, and then gets hosed byt the BCs nitwits. This year’s victim is USC. Despite being #1 in the AP and CNN coaches polls, doing everything they had to, winning every game- by convincing margins, even, LSU and Oklahoma re going to the big dance.

And it makes no damn sense. I am now rooting for USC in the Rose Bowl. This current system just is not fair, and Kevin- your team got screwed. There is no other way to put it.

Dump The BCSPost + Comments (10)

Go ARMY! Beat Navy!

‘Nuff said.

*** Update ***

That did not turn out too well.

Best Game of the YearPost + Comments (7)