Prayer for Relief

Kevin McHale was hard to miss. Standing 6-feet-10, he loomed over the churchgoers of St. Odilia's. It was the second time in three weeks the former Boston Celtics great could be found listening to a sermon rather than giving one.
McHale would probably tell you he's a religious man. He consistently devotes the 11 a.m. hour on Sundays to Father Rask and the church, just not during the NBA season. I would know, I am there almost weekly, too.
Whatever McHale has been saying to the man upstairs has worked. Since his decision to end hibernation from the parish, the Timberwolves have gone 4-3, a marked improvement from an 0-7 start to his second stint as coach.
It seems McHale is doing what he can to retain a job, something he didn't used to lose sleep over.
He used to hide behind closed doors orchestrating poor decision after poor decision to send a once promising franchise into a tailspin.
Owner Glen Taylor decided it was time McHale own up to his mistakes, following a 4-15 start. He named the team's former VP of basketball operations head coach.
Fix the mess you created was Taylor's proverb. Playing experience, not scouting talent, was McHale's Bible.
At first, McHale sat and watched from his chair on the bench loss after loss, making clear he had no say in the demotion. Lectures absent in spite of poor, selfish play from countless individuals.
Around Christmas, the time of giving, McHale started taking more opportunities to reconnect to his faith.
Is it the start of a turnaround that will help save the franchise from further embarrassment?
McHale is praying yes.

Chargers Move On

Chargers matchup well
Offense better when behind
Sproles sprints team past Colts

(A Haggy Haiku)

Complete Game

Home field, savy vet
Cards pass inexperience
Playoff win at last

(A Haggy Haiku)

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Defensively, through the air and even on the ground the Arizona Cardinals dominated the Atlanta Falcons to earn its first home playoff win in 61 years.

Figures

As soon as Utah defeated BYU to finish the season undefeated and lock up a BCS bid, I looked over the possible matchups and thought the Utes have a terrific chance if they draw the Crimson Tide of Alabama (I was predicting a Florida win in the SEC Championship game).
Sure enough, the selection committee pitted the two teams together and Utah didn't disappoint, winning 31-17.
When it comes to college football, particularly bowl games, the team with the best offense wins, not taking anything away from John Parker Wilson and the Nick Saban-run offense.
The defense either won or kept the Crimson Tide in most of its games this season.
For instance, it defeated LSU because Jarrett Lee was held to 13-of-34 passing, including four interceptions.
Figure in the "something to prove" factor Brian Johnson and company carried into this game for being snubbed from the BCS Championship game and it makes sense why Utah won.

Manning Easy MVP Choice

In a season stock-full of talent, but lacking the kind of "difference-maker" among the league's best teams, Peyton Manning became the no-brainer choice for MVP.
Manning kick-started the Colts back from a 3-4 record into the playoffs as perhaps the team to beat. Lacking the numbers of some of the other candidates, Manning won for a record-tying third time (matching Brett Favre) because no other individual on teams with a better record quite matched Manning's heart, resilience and ability.
Here were the other options and a synopsis as to why Manning reigned supreme.

Drew Brees, QB, New Orleans
Came within 18 yards of the single-season passing record and threw 34 touchdowns for the most potent offense of 2008. Despite all that, Brees picked up just eight wins.

Phillip Rivers, QB, San Diego
LaDainian Tomlinson hurting, the defense lifeless without "Lights Out" Shawne Merriman and the offensive line struggling for unknown reasons, Rivers took on a "Can't Win" role and made an MVP-like season out of it. He threw a franchise-best 34 touchdowns and was the only quarterback to boast a quarterback rating of at least 100 (105.5).
Mistakes at the end of games by both he and the defense resulted in an unsatisfactory 8-8 record.

Kurt Warner, QB, Arizona
Hard work and that uncanny ability to put the ball in the hands of his playmakers allowed Warner to have yet another monster season, this time at the age of 37. His 4,583 yards ranked second and his 30 touchdowns and 96.9 rating third.
Again, a mediocre record in an atrocious division combined with a terrible finish prevented Warner, not Manning, from tying the NFL record for MVPs in a career.

Chad Pennington, QB, Miami
Unwanted in the Meadowlands, Pennington took a franchise left for dead following a 1-15 season into the playoffs, tying a league record for best single-season turnaround.
Value not lacking, his numbers just don't do the trick in a packed field (19 touchdowns on 3,653 yards).

Adrian Peterson, RB, Minnesota
The most dynamic and explosive runner in all of football was done in by the fumble bug. His nine drops paced all backs.

Michael Turner, RB, Atlanta
Clearly the best free agent sign of the 2008 offseason, Turner made Matt Ryan's tranisition from college to the pros easy. Second in the NFL in rushing yards (1,699) and touchdowns (17) on a playoff-bound team is impressive. It's hard to argue against the value of a dominant and consistent running back, but the quarterback ultimately makes the decisions and carries with him more the burden of losing and congratulations of winning.

Chris Johnson, RB, Tennessee
The best offensive player on the league's best team deserves serious recognition, just not MVP.

James Harrison, LB, Pittsburgh
Ditto about the best defensive player in the league.

Jacked Decision

It kind of seemed inevitable that it would happen. Still, it doesn't make the reality any easier to stomach.
Vikings coach Brad Childress named Tarvaris Jackson the team's starter for 2009. The announcement doesn't come as a surprise as Jackson excelled while Gus Frerotte was sidelined with a lower back injury and has long been labeled the franchise's future, mainly because of the time Childress has invested in developing the 2006 draft pick.
The team likely won't give Matt Cassel, or another decent free agent to be quarterback a look. The future starts (and stops) with Jackson.
As a starter to close the season, he led the Vikings to a 2-1 record and came off the bench to bring the team back from a first-half deficit against the Lions in Week 14.
Against Arizona, Jackson took on the role of a Vietnam platoon leader. He astutely and calmly dissected every defensive scheme and made precise decisions when called upon, finishing with four touchdowns on 11-of-17 passing.
When the Vikings needed a playmaker against the Giants in Week 17 to assure a playoff berth, Jackson hit receiver Bernard Berrian a 54-yard touchdown to put the team within striking distance and converted two key third downs to set up the game-winning field goal by Ryan Longwell.
Jackson consistently moved the ball versus the Atlanta Falcons, but costly turnovers proved the team's undoing.
With the outwardly collective and heroic comes the internal fear and post-traumatic stress.
Most of the mistakes made in the Atlanta game were by Jackson. He fumbled three times, losing two. No interceptions is perceived as fantastic, but if the only throws made are tosses out-of-bounds or short drops across the middle, not so much.
The point is, Jackson continues to play scared. That means not taking chances.
There are also the poor reads and indecision that lead to turnovers and loss of downs in other situations (think the end zone interception in the first half of the Giants game).
He learned to cope slightly better than to start the season and has become more comfortable with the offense, no doubt.
The Vikings are (and will be consistent) playoff contenders with him, but never Super threats. With a deafening crowd (now that the Metrodome finally sold out for Sunday's game), a talented defense, offensive line and Adrian Peterson to help, Jackson could very well be fine against the Eagles.
Sooner or later, however, his mind will catch up to his throws.

Respect the Lions

No shame in losing
Trojans trounce all in Rose Bowl
State remains worthy

(A Haggy Haiku)

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Really, no one should be dissing the Big Ten for this particular matchup. As for the rest (except Iowa), do your worst.
The Nittany Lions are a top-10 team. USC is one of the four best. The Trojans, however, tend to tank one or two conference games early and are thus forced to settle for the Rose Bowl rather than receiving a crack at the BCS Championship game.
Bottom line: Penn State is good, USC is significantly better.

Could IT Be? ... No

Up 70-41 early in the third quarter, a road win against a good Dallas Mavericks team (18-12) seemed inevitable.
Coming back from 10, 15, maybe 20 down seemed possible, but not 29.
Wait, it's the Timberwolves, who have traded away Ray Allen for Stephon Marbury, Brandon Roy for Randy Foye and O.J. Mayo for Kevin Love, drafted Will Avery, Paul Grant and Ndudi Ebi and illegally signed the definition of mediocrity, Joe Smith.
Sure enough, Dallas used a 22-2 run to cut it to nine at 72-63 and a 22-7 run to start the fourth quarter propelling it to a 107-100 win.
This game epitomized better than any other game I have ever witnessed what this franchise represents: Mismanagement and failure that perhaps CAN get worse.

Payback

The state of Minnesota got payback Sunday, as the Vikings eked passed the Bears for their first division title since 2000. Remember, the White Sox defeated the Twins in a one-game playoff to claim the Central Division and earn a berth in the playoffs.
Not much else here, but hey, the more you know.

Vikings Get Giant Freebee

With the season on the line, the Vikings couldn't have drawn a more fortunate matchup.
The New York Giants, having wrapped up homefield advantage throughout the playoffs after defeating Carolina the week before, had nothing to play for, nothing to prove.
Bruising starter Brandon Jacobs didn't play and Eli Manning didn't take a snap in the second half.
Tom Coughlin's bunch wanted to win, just not with their top players on the field.
Minnesota, seeing the opportunity to earn a postseason berth under its own control, took advantage, winning a division title for the first time in eight years.

Champs? Hardly

Poor execution
Band of unworthy young men
Humiliation

The result, a 42-13 loss to an average Florida State team in the Champ Sports Bowl.

(A Haggy Haiku)

Unlovable Losers

On Wisconsin, On
The season of jokes and grief
No fight, just defeat

(A Haggy Haiku)

Sticking to the Plan

In an offseason where the New York Yankees are shelling out hundreds of millions of dollars to acquire top free agents and other teams are scrambling to bring in new talent via trades and signs, the Minnesota Twins brought back utility infielder Nick Punto.
Punto, the player who hit .210 in 2007 and who averages a home run once every 168 at-bats and an RBI every 13.3 at-bats.
Drives you crazy, right?
Well, it shouldn't.
The Twins are sticking to the plan I set aside for them earlier this offseason: Resign key players and develop talent.
Over the past 12 years Minnesota has had a difficult time landing a productive free agent. The front office knows what it will get out of Punto (good defense and speed on the bases). Plus, he's extrememly affordable ($8 million over two years).
Look what the Twins did in 2008 with a limited payroll and Punto, coming within one game of the postseason. Expect similar results this year.
By saving now, Minnesota can spend later when the contracts of Joe Mauer, Justin Morneau, Scott Baker, Joe Nathan and others approach expiration.

Making History

Don't look now, but Falcons quarterback Matt Ryan is in the midst of making history.

In addition to astonishing the nation by leading Atlanta back into contention, Ryan boasts a quarterback rating of 92. That's good for ninth in the NFL this season. Doesn't seem too significant at first glance, but it's the second-best mark among rookie signal callers ... ever.

Only Dan Marino posted a higher efficiency, passing for 2,210 yards and 20 touchdowns to just four interceptions, while completing 58.4 percent of his attempts for a rating of 96.

You could make the case what Ryan has done is more impressive than what the legendary Dolphin did in his first year.

Marino didn't start until the sixth game of the season, giving him time to learn the system and accustom himself to life in the NFL. Ryan was the Falcons starter from Day 1.

The learning curve for quarterbacks in the NFL is typically one to two years.

With Marino and Peyton Manning to look to as examples as long as health remains on Ryan's side, who knows, maybe some day his jersey will be hanging in the Georgia Dome.

Better yet, in Canton.

Hard to Say No

C.C. Sabathia couldn't turn down another year added to an already phonebook sized contract. He joined what many perceive as "the enemy," the New York Yankees, signing a seven year, $161 million contract Wednesday.
The kicker for Sabathia, who took three days to decide his future after the Yankees first make a six year, $140 million offer, was the addition of an opt-out clause.
If Sabathia isn't satisfied with the Bronx, or his family just doesn't quite feel at home in baseball's largest market, he can walk away a free man following the 2011 season.
Seems as though some of that undue stress of playing in New York has dissolved. Just in time, too. Now Sabathia must find a school for his eldest child to attend and a place to live.
After this transitionary period is over maybe seven years in one place won't sound too bad.