Monday Night Football on ESPN. Jets vs the Bolts. The Jets (1-1) are coming off a 19-10 loss against the rival New England Patriots. The Chargers (0-2) are coming off a controversial 39-38 loss to the Denver Broncos. Before that, they lost a heartbreaker to the Carolina Panthers that was decided on the final play.
I will be doing some live blogging with this game as well.
Update, 8:40 pm- I think the Jets should line up Keller a few times and throw to him too. He could be a valuable asset for the future (though Chris Baker is now locked up for a few yrs).
Update, 8:43 pm- Great playfake, bad execution. Hey, he passed it to Keller too.
Update, 8:44 pm- Wow, Ben Graham's punt traveled a fair distance. Not bad for someone who was cut earlier in the week and resigned because their replacement punter sustained an injury.
Update, 8:47 pm- David Barrett with an INT returned for a TD. Great pick by #36. Revis, Rhodes, and Lowery have been the well-known defensive backs for the Jets through the first 2 weeks of the season, but it doesn't really matter here. 7-0 Jets.
Update, 8:53 pm- Barrett almost had INT #2 right there. Hit him in a bad spot, right in the hands.
Update, 8:55 pm- Nice play by Lowery. The 4th round pick from SJ State has been key for the Jets' defense.
Update, 8:57 pm- Mike Tirico just said that David Barrett is headed to the locker room. Wonder why...
Update, 9:00 pm- Lowery broke up the pass and forced a 4th down for the Chargers. 7-3 after the Kaeding field goal.
Update, 9:06 pm- Lucky that Cromartie didn't catch that.
Update, 9:07 pm- Doesn't matter any more, Jones fumbled it and it's San Diego's ball inside the 20.
Update, 9:10 pm- Akward play by Rivers. Bobbled the ball, than wanted to hand it off to Tomlinson, than took it himself.
Update, 9:11 pm- Tolbert was wide open in the end zone, bad coverage by the Jets. 10-7 Bolts.
Update, 9:15 pm- Keller again...
Update, 9:18 pm- Cromartie redeems himself with an INT and returned for a TD.
Update, 9:20 pm- Predicting a long runback by Leon or Brad Smith
Update, 9:21 pm- Called it. To the San Diego 4 yd line.
Update, 9:22 pm- And here comes the conservative, Schottenheimer play-calling
Update, 9:23 pm- Favre with a redzone TD pass to Coles. Finally, some faith in #4. 17-14 Chargers now.
Update, 9:25 pm- Though I don't like the phrase "Mangenius", that was some trickery. Too bad it didn't go Gang Green's way.
Update, 9:31 pm- With the exception of Barrett's INT, the Jets' secondary has been awful. The deep ball has been thrown many times by Rivers and Chambers just caught a TD pass, wide open in the end zone. 24-14
Update, 9:40 pm- That was Favre's 2nd INT tonight, 1st by Weddle.
Update, 9:50 pm- This game got tough to watch after Weddle's INT. It just got tougher to watch as Rivers threw another TD pass, but this one to Antonio Gates. It's 31-14 Bolts and I doubt Favre can lead the Jets to a comeback.
Update, 9:59 pm- Wow, Graham with another nice punt. Something must have changed...
Update, 10:36 pm- That just about does it, down by 24 with 4:47 left in the 3rd. They would need some comeback to win it. The way the Jets are playing, San Diego will have a 30+ point lead
Monday, September 22, 2008
Sunday, September 21, 2008
The Last Game at Yankee Stadium (live blogging)
I decided to do some live blogging for tonight's game, though I will be watching it at home.
I was very impressed with the pre-game ceremonies, with Bob Sheppard and every other player being announced. The people who lined up as the 1923 Opening Day roster was mediocre to me. Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Derek Jeter, Willie Randolph, Bobby Murcer's family, Yogi Berra, and Ron Guidry got the loudest ovations from what I heard. Bob Sheppard's voice was just outstounding, hearing him announce the Yankees' lineup from his home was great. Also, having Ruth's daughter throw out the last-first pitch at Yankee Stadium was quite a tribute, but having Jorge Posada catch it gave him a special moment I would think. It's too bad Posada wasn't healthy.
Update, 8:20 pm- Pretty cool ceremony honoring Jeter passing Gehrig on the Yankee Stadium hit list. The crystal bat and ball must be very special to get.
Update, 8:35 pm- One last roll call, gonna be a great one. Last first pitch was a called strike. Last first play was a flyout to Abreu. He approached the warning track on that.
Update, 8:40 pm- Listen to the cowbell by the Bleacher Creatures, it's tradition. It's great.
Update, 8:49 pm- Pettitte's 2000th career K comes at Yankee Stadium in its final game.
Update, 8:50 pm- And Abreu's poor fielding gives Adam Jones a triple. Hard hit ball, but Abreu couldn't play the carom well.
Update, 9:03 pm- Can't do anything about that, Roberts made a nice play to rob Cano of a hit that might have scored A-Rod. To the 3rd inning we go with the O's ahead 1-0.
Update, 9:17 pm- A "Paul O'Neill" chant broke out as he was seen walking.
Update, 9:24 pm- Johnny Damon hit a 3-run homerun over the short porch in right. scoring Matsui and Molina. Last homerun at Yankee Stadium? Maybe.
Update, 9:50 pm- Robinson Cano just walked for the 2nd time in 4 games. Prior to that, he went 98 consecutive at-bats without a walk (26 games).
Update, 9:53 pm- Jose Molina is now the last person to hit a homerun at Yankee Stadium, into Monument Park. That was Molina's 3rd homerun of the season, and it came at a wonderful time for him.
Update, 10:00 pm- We are nearing the point in the game in which the lever will be pulled for the final time. My guess is Bernie, but it's up in the air. Wouldn't be surprised to have it be George Steinbrenner.
Update, 10:04 pm- Well, it looks like they're gonna pull it at the end of the game.
Update, 10:16 pm- Girardi just took out Pettitte in the middle of the 6th inning, mainly to get a final cheer from the fans, but he did allow 7 hits in his 5 innings. He's getting some applause from the crowd. Too bad ESPN focused on Peter Gammons interviewing David Wells and David Cone.
Update, 10:20 pm- Kevin Millar struck out once in the at-bat (whistle sounded) but he only had 2 strikes apparently. The next pitch from Jose Veras was a strike right down the middle for a called strike 3. The whistle sounded again.
Update, 10:29 pm- Girardi is bringing in Phil Coke now. Veras threw 2/3 of an inning and walked 1.
Update, 10:32 pm- And Phil Coke does it again, striking out Brian Roberts. That makes it 11 consecutive scoreless innings for Coke. Remember he was originally in the Nady/Marte deal.
Update, 10:51 pm- Phil Coke did his job and is done. Joba Chamberlain entered the game with a huge ovation.
Update, 10:53 pm- I just read this on Pete Abraham's blog on Lohud that Michael Kay pulled the lever.
Update, 10:54 pm- Jeter made a pretty nice play to get the 2nd out of the 7th inning.
Update, 10:56 pm- And who is singing the final "God Bless America" at Yankee Stadium? Why, none other than Ronan Tynan. I guess it's better than Kate Smith.
Update, 11:10 pm- Wasn't the prettiest way to knock in a run, but Giambi did it. It's a line drive in the box score at least. 6-3 Yankees and the O's keep making pitching changes.
Update, 11:15 pm- Boy, Brett Gardner is fast. Running on the play, he goes from 1st to 3rd on a misplayed ground ball by Brandon Fahey (the ball stayed in the infield by the way).
Update, 11:17 pm- Robinson Cano just recorded a sacrifice fly, scoring Gardner. It is now 7-3 Yankees. If Joba has a successful 8th inning and Girardi brings in Mo for the 9th, it would be a great way to end the history of Yankee Stadium. No save situation by the way.
Update, 11:26 pm- And Mariano warms up for the final time at Yankee Stadium.
Update, 11:31 pm- Now, Mariano Rivera enters the field for the final time at Yankee Stadium to the tune of Metallica's "Enter Sandman." I just wish ESPN didn't cut to a commercial break so we can soak it all in.
Update, 11:38 pm- Girardi pulled Jeter so he could get an enormous ovation from the crowd. A site to be seen. He gave the crowd one last curtain call as he exited the game.
Update, 11:40 pm- And there it is, the final game at Yankee Stadium. It worked out to Girardi's plan, having Pettitte pitch and leave with an ovation and bring in Mariano to close out the game.
Some little tidbits:
Babe Ruth said, "I hit the first homerun at Yankee Stadium. God only knows who will hit the last one."
Well, the last person to hit a homerun at Yankee Stadium was Jose Molina.
The last hit at Yankee Stadium: Jason Giambi
The last run scored at Yankee Stadium: Brett Gardner
The last out recorded at Yankee Stadium: A groundout hit by Brian Roberts. 3-unassisted to defensive replacement 1B Cody Ransom.
I was very impressed with the pre-game ceremonies, with Bob Sheppard and every other player being announced. The people who lined up as the 1923 Opening Day roster was mediocre to me. Bernie Williams, Paul O'Neill, Tino Martinez, Derek Jeter, Willie Randolph, Bobby Murcer's family, Yogi Berra, and Ron Guidry got the loudest ovations from what I heard. Bob Sheppard's voice was just outstounding, hearing him announce the Yankees' lineup from his home was great. Also, having Ruth's daughter throw out the last-first pitch at Yankee Stadium was quite a tribute, but having Jorge Posada catch it gave him a special moment I would think. It's too bad Posada wasn't healthy.
Update, 8:20 pm- Pretty cool ceremony honoring Jeter passing Gehrig on the Yankee Stadium hit list. The crystal bat and ball must be very special to get.
Update, 8:35 pm- One last roll call, gonna be a great one. Last first pitch was a called strike. Last first play was a flyout to Abreu. He approached the warning track on that.
Update, 8:40 pm- Listen to the cowbell by the Bleacher Creatures, it's tradition. It's great.
Update, 8:49 pm- Pettitte's 2000th career K comes at Yankee Stadium in its final game.
Update, 8:50 pm- And Abreu's poor fielding gives Adam Jones a triple. Hard hit ball, but Abreu couldn't play the carom well.
Update, 9:03 pm- Can't do anything about that, Roberts made a nice play to rob Cano of a hit that might have scored A-Rod. To the 3rd inning we go with the O's ahead 1-0.
Update, 9:17 pm- A "Paul O'Neill" chant broke out as he was seen walking.
Update, 9:24 pm- Johnny Damon hit a 3-run homerun over the short porch in right. scoring Matsui and Molina. Last homerun at Yankee Stadium? Maybe.
Update, 9:50 pm- Robinson Cano just walked for the 2nd time in 4 games. Prior to that, he went 98 consecutive at-bats without a walk (26 games).
Update, 9:53 pm- Jose Molina is now the last person to hit a homerun at Yankee Stadium, into Monument Park. That was Molina's 3rd homerun of the season, and it came at a wonderful time for him.
Update, 10:00 pm- We are nearing the point in the game in which the lever will be pulled for the final time. My guess is Bernie, but it's up in the air. Wouldn't be surprised to have it be George Steinbrenner.
Update, 10:04 pm- Well, it looks like they're gonna pull it at the end of the game.
Update, 10:16 pm- Girardi just took out Pettitte in the middle of the 6th inning, mainly to get a final cheer from the fans, but he did allow 7 hits in his 5 innings. He's getting some applause from the crowd. Too bad ESPN focused on Peter Gammons interviewing David Wells and David Cone.
Update, 10:20 pm- Kevin Millar struck out once in the at-bat (whistle sounded) but he only had 2 strikes apparently. The next pitch from Jose Veras was a strike right down the middle for a called strike 3. The whistle sounded again.
Update, 10:29 pm- Girardi is bringing in Phil Coke now. Veras threw 2/3 of an inning and walked 1.
Update, 10:32 pm- And Phil Coke does it again, striking out Brian Roberts. That makes it 11 consecutive scoreless innings for Coke. Remember he was originally in the Nady/Marte deal.
Update, 10:51 pm- Phil Coke did his job and is done. Joba Chamberlain entered the game with a huge ovation.
Update, 10:53 pm- I just read this on Pete Abraham's blog on Lohud that Michael Kay pulled the lever.
Update, 10:54 pm- Jeter made a pretty nice play to get the 2nd out of the 7th inning.
Update, 10:56 pm- And who is singing the final "God Bless America" at Yankee Stadium? Why, none other than Ronan Tynan. I guess it's better than Kate Smith.
Update, 11:10 pm- Wasn't the prettiest way to knock in a run, but Giambi did it. It's a line drive in the box score at least. 6-3 Yankees and the O's keep making pitching changes.
Update, 11:15 pm- Boy, Brett Gardner is fast. Running on the play, he goes from 1st to 3rd on a misplayed ground ball by Brandon Fahey (the ball stayed in the infield by the way).
Update, 11:17 pm- Robinson Cano just recorded a sacrifice fly, scoring Gardner. It is now 7-3 Yankees. If Joba has a successful 8th inning and Girardi brings in Mo for the 9th, it would be a great way to end the history of Yankee Stadium. No save situation by the way.
Update, 11:26 pm- And Mariano warms up for the final time at Yankee Stadium.
Update, 11:31 pm- Now, Mariano Rivera enters the field for the final time at Yankee Stadium to the tune of Metallica's "Enter Sandman." I just wish ESPN didn't cut to a commercial break so we can soak it all in.
Update, 11:38 pm- Girardi pulled Jeter so he could get an enormous ovation from the crowd. A site to be seen. He gave the crowd one last curtain call as he exited the game.
Update, 11:40 pm- And there it is, the final game at Yankee Stadium. It worked out to Girardi's plan, having Pettitte pitch and leave with an ovation and bring in Mariano to close out the game.
Some little tidbits:
Babe Ruth said, "I hit the first homerun at Yankee Stadium. God only knows who will hit the last one."
Well, the last person to hit a homerun at Yankee Stadium was Jose Molina.
The last hit at Yankee Stadium: Jason Giambi
The last run scored at Yankee Stadium: Brett Gardner
The last out recorded at Yankee Stadium: A groundout hit by Brian Roberts. 3-unassisted to defensive replacement 1B Cody Ransom.
A Farewell to Yankee Stadium
I can’t say I’m not disappointed, but I do find it depressing that the final game at Yankee Stadium will not be played in the month of October. Yankee Stadium is rich in history. The World Series was played there in 39 years of its history. It hosted 4 All-Star games. It was home to Ruth, Gehrig, DiMaggio, and Mantle. Munson, Mattingly, Rizzuto, Murcer. Reggie, Whitey, Red, Lefty. Elston Howard, Bill Dickey, Doc, Paul O’Neill, Tino, Roger. Bernie, Jeter, Jorge, Mo. Mel Allen and Bob Sheppard. The façade, the bleacher creatures, the 2-strike clap, and the monuments were founded. Perfection has been accomplished here.
With the new Yankee Stadium opening up in 2009, here is a list of the greatest moments in Yankee Stadium. Before I reveal my top moments, here are some notable moments that were not in the top 10. Roger Maris’ 61st homerun, Derek Jeter’s dive into the stands, David Cone’s and David Wells’ perfect games. Curt Schilling’s bloody sock performance in the 2004 ALCS, Nelson Mandela’s speech, Notre Dame vs. Army football game, the boxing matches, the concerts, the movies and television shows filmed, and the papal visits. Those were key highlights in the illustrious history of Yankee Stadium, but not the most prominent in its history.
10. July 15, 2008 (The 2008 All-Star Game)
Commissioner Bud Selig thought it would be a good idea to play the All-Star game in Yankee Stadium in its final season. The game was an instant classic. The All-Star futures game and other festivities were great, but the Homerun Derby was also astounding, including Josh Hamilton’s memorable performance by hitting 28 homeruns in the 1st round of the Derby, several of which measured over 500 feet in distance. Hamilton lost to Justin Morneau in the finals and many thought the Homerun Derby could not be topped. The pre-game ceremonies in the All-Star game were unforgettable. 49 living Hall-of-Famers attended the game as a celebration to the final season at the House that Ruth Built. It was a commemoration of the past stars and present stars in baseball history. The game began as a pitcher’s duel, scoreless through 4 innings. Matt Holliday broke the tie in the 5th with a solo homerun. In the 7th inning, J.D. Drew of the Boston Redsox had a clutch at-bat, hitting a game-tying 2-run homerun off Reds’ pitcher Edinson Volquez. Jon Papelbon entered the All-Star game with controversy, saying that he wanted to close out the game in such situation instead of Yankees’ pitcher Mariano Rivera. Padres’ first baseman Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly off Papelbon in the 8th inning. In the bottom half, Rays’ rookie hitter Evan Longoria was sent to the plate as a pinch-hitter and hit a game-tying ground-rule double. Mariano Rivera was brought into the game though no save situation and was stupendous. Rivera pitched 1.2 innings with 2 strikeouts. The game went on, inning after inning. The American League had many missed opportunities in extras, failing to score in bases loaded, nobody out chances. Marlins’ 2nd baseman Dan Uggla had a game to forget, making 3 errors in the field in the extra innings. In the bottom of the 15th inning, Michael Young hit a game-winning sacrifice fly to end the game, scoring Morneau. The game was over 4:50 in time. J.D. Drew was awarded the All-Star game MVP.
9. July 24, 1983 (George Brett’s Pine-Tar Game)
An ordinary game between the Yankees and the Royals turned out to be one of the most-renowned games in baseball history. In the 9th inning of the game, the Yankees had a 4-3 lead with Goose Gossage on the mound. George Brett stepped up to the plate with a runner on and hit a rocket over the fence to give the Royals a 5-4 lead. After Brett crossed the plate, Yankees’ manager Billy Martin came out to talk to the umpires, questioning whether Brett had the proper amount of pine tar on his bat. Umpire Tim McClelland took the bat and measured it against home plate. After the measurement, it became aware that he used too much pine tar. The umpires ruled Brett out and the homerun nullified. Brett, in one of the most notorious outrages in baseball, and maybe even sports history, stormed out of the dugout furiously and fought with the umpires. The Royals later protested the game and it was upheld by American League president Lee MacPhail. The game was later resumed on August 18, 1983 with the Royals up 5-4 with the homerun standing in the 9th inning with Brett ejected for his actions. The Royals won the game 5-4, on George Brett’s homerun.
8A. December 28, 1958 (The Colts-Giants NFL Title Game)
This game has been classified as the greatest football game ever played. On December 28, 1958, the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts clashed at Yankee Stadium. The high-powered Colts’ offense and the strong Giants’ defense was the main headline entering the game. The Colts were up 14-3 at halftime, but late in the game, the Giants came back courtesy of a Frank Gifford touchdown run, which gave them a 17-14 lead. Johnny Unitas led the Colts to a late drive, but ended in a game-tying field goal. Tied after regulation, the game went into sudden-death overtime, something that had not occurred before. In overtime, Johnny Unitas and the Colts had a long, 80 yard drive to the Giants’ 2 yard line. At the 2, running back Alan Ameche ran the ball into the end zone, giving the Colts the 23-17 victory in front of over 64,000 fans.
8B. June 22, 1938 (Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling Boxing Match; The Second Fight)
This was one of the most historical boxing matches of all time, and it took place at Yankee Stadium. It was American Joe Louis against German Max Schmeling. The match was known as “American freedom vs. Hitler’s Third Reich.” It was American Freedom vs. Aryan Dominance. Their first fight took place June 19, 1936, also at Yankee Stadium and Schmeling won in 12 rounds. This fight would be totally different. Louis came right out of the corner on fire, hitting Schmeling directly several times. Hits to the head and the jaw sent Schmeling to the ground in only the first round. 2 minutes and 4 seconds was the duration of the classic fight. Louis got his redemption against Schmeling. This was more than a boxing match between an American and a German. This was a boxing match that led to “world supremacy.”
7. October 9, 1996 (Jeffrey Maier’s Catch)
The Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles clashed in an ALCS battle in the 1996 postseason. The Yankees, led by new manager Joe Torre had looked to play in their first World Series since the 1980s. In the 8th inning of game 1, Derek Jeter stepped up to the plate. Jeter hit a long fly ball to deep right field. Orioles’ outfielder Tony Tarasco was on the warning track and leaped for the ball, but did not make the catch. Instead, 12-year old Jeffrey Maier reached over the fence to grab the ball. It was ruled a homerun, but Tarasco thought it would be ruled fan interference. The umpires upheld the ruling of a homerun and it turned out to be the first of many clutch hits for Jeter. Maier’s catch tied the game and allowed the Yankees to win it in extra innings on a walk-off homerun by Bernie Williams. Maier’s catch was all over the tabloids and he became famous for it.
6. October 14, 1976 (Chris Chambliss’ Homerun)
George Steinbrenner had been frustrated with his ballclub, seeing as how they had not won a World Series since the 1960s. However, the Yankees and the Royals were in another historical game, but this time in the playoffs. In the decisive game 5 of the 1976 ALCS, the Yankees had a 6-3 lead going into the 8th inning. George Brett hit a game-tying 3-run homerun. With the game tied at 6, Chris Chambliss stepped up to the plate. Royals’ pitcher Mark Littell delivered a pitch, and Chambliss cranked it over the right-center field wall for a homerun. The homerun propelled the Yankees to the World Series. The lasting image of the game is the fans storming the field, celebrating as Chambliss rounded the bases. This is my personal favorite Yankee Stadium moment, mainly because of the crowd’s reaction.
5. October 18, 1977 (Reggie Jackson’s 3-Homerun Game)
The Yankees faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1977 World Series. The Yankees entered the game with a 3-2 series lead. In one of the most significant years in New York history with the Son-of-Sam murderer, there needed to be some ray of light on the mind of a typical New Yorker in 1977. Luckily, Reggie Jackson gave hope. Jackson had hit 2 homeruns in the series already, but this game was something special. In game 6 of the World Series, Reggie Jackson stepped up to the plate in the 4th inning. The Dodgers were up 3-2 at the time. Jackson hit the first pitch he saw from the Burt Hooton offering over the fence, giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead. In the 5th inning, Jackson stepped up to the plate again, but this time to a new pitcher, Elias Sosa. It was no difference for Jackson, the same result occurred, a 2-run homerun on the first pitch of the at bat. With the Yankees up 7-3 in the 8th inning, Jackson made his last at-bat of the World Series. He made that just as special: a solo homerun that traveled an estimated 475 feet. Reggie’s 3-homerun game is one of the best performances in World Series history.
4. July 4, 1939 (Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech)
Lou Gehrig, known as the “Iron Horse”, played in 2130 consecutive games. Gehrig was a Yankee legend, hitting 493 career homeruns. He was a 2-time AL MVP award winner and had 6 World Series rings. His career was cut short due to a disease known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, which is now known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” ALS can cause paralysis and has no cure. On June 21, 1939, Gehrig announced his retirement from the sport. Less than 2 weeks later, Gehrig announced his goodbyes. Gehrig said “Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth” in his farewell speech. Those 13 words live on in the hearts of many Gehrig supporters and Yankee fans. The day he proclaimed his departure, the Yankees retired the number 4 that he wore in his honor. Applause for Gehrig was given for nearly 2 minutes. A bit less than 2 years after he declared his retirement, Gehrig died of the disease he was suffering from.
3. October 16, 2003 (Aaron Boone’s Homerun)
The Yankees and the Redsox had already engaged on one of the most crucial series in their rivalry that had several brawls already, but game 7 of the 2003 ALCS was something else. The Redsox jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and knocked out Yankee pitcher Roger Clemens out of the ballgame early. The Yankees came back with 2 homeruns by Jason Giambi which was the Yankees’ first 2 runs of the game. In the 8th inning, Redsox manager Grady Little made a questionable decision leaving in pitcher Pedro Martinez to face Hideki Matsui with 2 on. Matsui doubled, scoring Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams, cutting the deficit from 3 runs to only 1. Little left in Martinez to face catcher Jorge Posada, but that proved unsuccessful for the Redsox as Posada hit a bloop double down the right field line that scored Matsui and tied the game at 5. The field was shaking with cheers. The Yankees brought in Mariano Rivera, their closer, to pitch 3 innings of game 7. Rivera did so, allowing no runs to the Boston hitters. In the bottom of the 11th inning, the Yankees sent up Aaron Boone, who was earlier inserted into the game as a pinch runner. Redsox pitcher Tim Wakefield, who had pitched a scoreless 10th inning, delivered the pitch to Boone. The first pitch of the at-bat, Boone made contact. The ball sailed down the left field line, staying fair, and going over the wall in left field. Boone’s walk-off homerun sealed the Yankees’ victory and sent them to the World Series in come-from-behind fashion. Though the Yankees ended up losing the 2003 World Series to the Marlins in 6 games, the ALCS will never be forgotten.
2. October 30, 2001 – November 1, 2001 (2001 World Series Heroics)
September 11, 2001 was one of the most frightening days in the lives of an American. 4 commercial flights were hijacked by extremists in the middle-east. 2 of them crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City, 1 of them into the Pentagon in the Washington DC area, and 1 of them in a field in Pennsylvania. America needed some reassurance that it was safe and worry-free. On October 30, 2001, President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Derek Jeter. Chants of “U-S-A” were heard amongst the sell-out crowd. The Yankees won that game over the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 courtesy of a Scott Brosius RBI single in the 6th inning. In game 4 of the World Series, Halloween night, the Yankees were trailing in the 9th inning 3-1. With Paul O’Neill on first, Tino Martinez stepped up to the plate. Tino hit the pitch from Byung-Hyun Kim over the right-center field wall for a game-tying homerun. In the bottom of the 10th inning, still tied at 3, Derek Jeter came up to the plate. As the clock struck midnight on Halloween, baseball had reached where it had not gone before: November. At midnight, Derek Jeter hit Kim’s pitch over the short porch in right field for a walk-off homerun. Jeter became known as “Mr. November” for that clutch hit. With the series tied at 2, game 5 also took place at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees found themselves down by 2 runs again heading into the 9th inning. With Jorge Posada on base, Scott Brosius hit a deep fly ball off Kim over the left field fence for a game-tying homerun. Alfonso Soriano, the Yankees’ 2nd baseman at the time, drove in Chuck Knoblauch for the game-winning run. Knoblauch pinch ran for designated hitter David Justice earlier in the game. Although the Yankees lost the World Series in 7 games to Arizona, the heroics by Tino, Jeter, and Brosius will live in history.
1. October 8, 1956 (Don Larsen’s Perfect Game)
In game 5 of the 1956 World Series between the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, Don Larsen took the mound. Previously in the series, Larsen allowed 4 runs in 2 innings. Even Larsen was surprised that he would be pitching the critical game. Larsen had a perfect game going through the first 3 innings, and it would be like that for the next 3, and the next 2. Larsen went into the 9th inning, facing the minimum 24 batters. Larsen was just 1 batter away from the first no-hitter in postseason history, let alone World Series history. Dale Mitchell was the batter for Brooklyn who was the last to face Larsen in game 5. Larsen threw a 1-2 pitch on the outside part of the plate for strike 3. Catcher Yogi Berra leaped into Larsen’s arms in celebration. Larsen threw a mere 97 pitches in his effort. Larsen’s perfect game earned him the World Series MVP award for the 1956 World Series. The crowd of over 64,000 cheered as the Yankees celebrated perfection. The Yankees won the World Series in 7 games, but Larsen’s perfect game is the highlight of it.
With the new Yankee Stadium opening up in 2009, here is a list of the greatest moments in Yankee Stadium. Before I reveal my top moments, here are some notable moments that were not in the top 10. Roger Maris’ 61st homerun, Derek Jeter’s dive into the stands, David Cone’s and David Wells’ perfect games. Curt Schilling’s bloody sock performance in the 2004 ALCS, Nelson Mandela’s speech, Notre Dame vs. Army football game, the boxing matches, the concerts, the movies and television shows filmed, and the papal visits. Those were key highlights in the illustrious history of Yankee Stadium, but not the most prominent in its history.
10. July 15, 2008 (The 2008 All-Star Game)
Commissioner Bud Selig thought it would be a good idea to play the All-Star game in Yankee Stadium in its final season. The game was an instant classic. The All-Star futures game and other festivities were great, but the Homerun Derby was also astounding, including Josh Hamilton’s memorable performance by hitting 28 homeruns in the 1st round of the Derby, several of which measured over 500 feet in distance. Hamilton lost to Justin Morneau in the finals and many thought the Homerun Derby could not be topped. The pre-game ceremonies in the All-Star game were unforgettable. 49 living Hall-of-Famers attended the game as a celebration to the final season at the House that Ruth Built. It was a commemoration of the past stars and present stars in baseball history. The game began as a pitcher’s duel, scoreless through 4 innings. Matt Holliday broke the tie in the 5th with a solo homerun. In the 7th inning, J.D. Drew of the Boston Redsox had a clutch at-bat, hitting a game-tying 2-run homerun off Reds’ pitcher Edinson Volquez. Jon Papelbon entered the All-Star game with controversy, saying that he wanted to close out the game in such situation instead of Yankees’ pitcher Mariano Rivera. Padres’ first baseman Adrian Gonzalez hit a go-ahead sacrifice fly off Papelbon in the 8th inning. In the bottom half, Rays’ rookie hitter Evan Longoria was sent to the plate as a pinch-hitter and hit a game-tying ground-rule double. Mariano Rivera was brought into the game though no save situation and was stupendous. Rivera pitched 1.2 innings with 2 strikeouts. The game went on, inning after inning. The American League had many missed opportunities in extras, failing to score in bases loaded, nobody out chances. Marlins’ 2nd baseman Dan Uggla had a game to forget, making 3 errors in the field in the extra innings. In the bottom of the 15th inning, Michael Young hit a game-winning sacrifice fly to end the game, scoring Morneau. The game was over 4:50 in time. J.D. Drew was awarded the All-Star game MVP.
9. July 24, 1983 (George Brett’s Pine-Tar Game)
An ordinary game between the Yankees and the Royals turned out to be one of the most-renowned games in baseball history. In the 9th inning of the game, the Yankees had a 4-3 lead with Goose Gossage on the mound. George Brett stepped up to the plate with a runner on and hit a rocket over the fence to give the Royals a 5-4 lead. After Brett crossed the plate, Yankees’ manager Billy Martin came out to talk to the umpires, questioning whether Brett had the proper amount of pine tar on his bat. Umpire Tim McClelland took the bat and measured it against home plate. After the measurement, it became aware that he used too much pine tar. The umpires ruled Brett out and the homerun nullified. Brett, in one of the most notorious outrages in baseball, and maybe even sports history, stormed out of the dugout furiously and fought with the umpires. The Royals later protested the game and it was upheld by American League president Lee MacPhail. The game was later resumed on August 18, 1983 with the Royals up 5-4 with the homerun standing in the 9th inning with Brett ejected for his actions. The Royals won the game 5-4, on George Brett’s homerun.
8A. December 28, 1958 (The Colts-Giants NFL Title Game)
This game has been classified as the greatest football game ever played. On December 28, 1958, the New York Giants and the Baltimore Colts clashed at Yankee Stadium. The high-powered Colts’ offense and the strong Giants’ defense was the main headline entering the game. The Colts were up 14-3 at halftime, but late in the game, the Giants came back courtesy of a Frank Gifford touchdown run, which gave them a 17-14 lead. Johnny Unitas led the Colts to a late drive, but ended in a game-tying field goal. Tied after regulation, the game went into sudden-death overtime, something that had not occurred before. In overtime, Johnny Unitas and the Colts had a long, 80 yard drive to the Giants’ 2 yard line. At the 2, running back Alan Ameche ran the ball into the end zone, giving the Colts the 23-17 victory in front of over 64,000 fans.
8B. June 22, 1938 (Joe Louis vs. Max Schmeling Boxing Match; The Second Fight)
This was one of the most historical boxing matches of all time, and it took place at Yankee Stadium. It was American Joe Louis against German Max Schmeling. The match was known as “American freedom vs. Hitler’s Third Reich.” It was American Freedom vs. Aryan Dominance. Their first fight took place June 19, 1936, also at Yankee Stadium and Schmeling won in 12 rounds. This fight would be totally different. Louis came right out of the corner on fire, hitting Schmeling directly several times. Hits to the head and the jaw sent Schmeling to the ground in only the first round. 2 minutes and 4 seconds was the duration of the classic fight. Louis got his redemption against Schmeling. This was more than a boxing match between an American and a German. This was a boxing match that led to “world supremacy.”
7. October 9, 1996 (Jeffrey Maier’s Catch)
The Yankees and the Baltimore Orioles clashed in an ALCS battle in the 1996 postseason. The Yankees, led by new manager Joe Torre had looked to play in their first World Series since the 1980s. In the 8th inning of game 1, Derek Jeter stepped up to the plate. Jeter hit a long fly ball to deep right field. Orioles’ outfielder Tony Tarasco was on the warning track and leaped for the ball, but did not make the catch. Instead, 12-year old Jeffrey Maier reached over the fence to grab the ball. It was ruled a homerun, but Tarasco thought it would be ruled fan interference. The umpires upheld the ruling of a homerun and it turned out to be the first of many clutch hits for Jeter. Maier’s catch tied the game and allowed the Yankees to win it in extra innings on a walk-off homerun by Bernie Williams. Maier’s catch was all over the tabloids and he became famous for it.
6. October 14, 1976 (Chris Chambliss’ Homerun)
George Steinbrenner had been frustrated with his ballclub, seeing as how they had not won a World Series since the 1960s. However, the Yankees and the Royals were in another historical game, but this time in the playoffs. In the decisive game 5 of the 1976 ALCS, the Yankees had a 6-3 lead going into the 8th inning. George Brett hit a game-tying 3-run homerun. With the game tied at 6, Chris Chambliss stepped up to the plate. Royals’ pitcher Mark Littell delivered a pitch, and Chambliss cranked it over the right-center field wall for a homerun. The homerun propelled the Yankees to the World Series. The lasting image of the game is the fans storming the field, celebrating as Chambliss rounded the bases. This is my personal favorite Yankee Stadium moment, mainly because of the crowd’s reaction.
5. October 18, 1977 (Reggie Jackson’s 3-Homerun Game)
The Yankees faced the Los Angeles Dodgers in the 1977 World Series. The Yankees entered the game with a 3-2 series lead. In one of the most significant years in New York history with the Son-of-Sam murderer, there needed to be some ray of light on the mind of a typical New Yorker in 1977. Luckily, Reggie Jackson gave hope. Jackson had hit 2 homeruns in the series already, but this game was something special. In game 6 of the World Series, Reggie Jackson stepped up to the plate in the 4th inning. The Dodgers were up 3-2 at the time. Jackson hit the first pitch he saw from the Burt Hooton offering over the fence, giving the Yankees a 4-3 lead. In the 5th inning, Jackson stepped up to the plate again, but this time to a new pitcher, Elias Sosa. It was no difference for Jackson, the same result occurred, a 2-run homerun on the first pitch of the at bat. With the Yankees up 7-3 in the 8th inning, Jackson made his last at-bat of the World Series. He made that just as special: a solo homerun that traveled an estimated 475 feet. Reggie’s 3-homerun game is one of the best performances in World Series history.
4. July 4, 1939 (Lou Gehrig’s Farewell Speech)
Lou Gehrig, known as the “Iron Horse”, played in 2130 consecutive games. Gehrig was a Yankee legend, hitting 493 career homeruns. He was a 2-time AL MVP award winner and had 6 World Series rings. His career was cut short due to a disease known as Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis, which is now known as “Lou Gehrig’s disease.” ALS can cause paralysis and has no cure. On June 21, 1939, Gehrig announced his retirement from the sport. Less than 2 weeks later, Gehrig announced his goodbyes. Gehrig said “Today I consider myself the luckiest man on the face of the earth” in his farewell speech. Those 13 words live on in the hearts of many Gehrig supporters and Yankee fans. The day he proclaimed his departure, the Yankees retired the number 4 that he wore in his honor. Applause for Gehrig was given for nearly 2 minutes. A bit less than 2 years after he declared his retirement, Gehrig died of the disease he was suffering from.
3. October 16, 2003 (Aaron Boone’s Homerun)
The Yankees and the Redsox had already engaged on one of the most crucial series in their rivalry that had several brawls already, but game 7 of the 2003 ALCS was something else. The Redsox jumped out to an early 4-0 lead and knocked out Yankee pitcher Roger Clemens out of the ballgame early. The Yankees came back with 2 homeruns by Jason Giambi which was the Yankees’ first 2 runs of the game. In the 8th inning, Redsox manager Grady Little made a questionable decision leaving in pitcher Pedro Martinez to face Hideki Matsui with 2 on. Matsui doubled, scoring Derek Jeter and Bernie Williams, cutting the deficit from 3 runs to only 1. Little left in Martinez to face catcher Jorge Posada, but that proved unsuccessful for the Redsox as Posada hit a bloop double down the right field line that scored Matsui and tied the game at 5. The field was shaking with cheers. The Yankees brought in Mariano Rivera, their closer, to pitch 3 innings of game 7. Rivera did so, allowing no runs to the Boston hitters. In the bottom of the 11th inning, the Yankees sent up Aaron Boone, who was earlier inserted into the game as a pinch runner. Redsox pitcher Tim Wakefield, who had pitched a scoreless 10th inning, delivered the pitch to Boone. The first pitch of the at-bat, Boone made contact. The ball sailed down the left field line, staying fair, and going over the wall in left field. Boone’s walk-off homerun sealed the Yankees’ victory and sent them to the World Series in come-from-behind fashion. Though the Yankees ended up losing the 2003 World Series to the Marlins in 6 games, the ALCS will never be forgotten.
2. October 30, 2001 – November 1, 2001 (2001 World Series Heroics)
September 11, 2001 was one of the most frightening days in the lives of an American. 4 commercial flights were hijacked by extremists in the middle-east. 2 of them crashed into the Twin Towers in New York City, 1 of them into the Pentagon in the Washington DC area, and 1 of them in a field in Pennsylvania. America needed some reassurance that it was safe and worry-free. On October 30, 2001, President George W. Bush threw out the ceremonial first pitch to Derek Jeter. Chants of “U-S-A” were heard amongst the sell-out crowd. The Yankees won that game over the Arizona Diamondbacks 2-1 courtesy of a Scott Brosius RBI single in the 6th inning. In game 4 of the World Series, Halloween night, the Yankees were trailing in the 9th inning 3-1. With Paul O’Neill on first, Tino Martinez stepped up to the plate. Tino hit the pitch from Byung-Hyun Kim over the right-center field wall for a game-tying homerun. In the bottom of the 10th inning, still tied at 3, Derek Jeter came up to the plate. As the clock struck midnight on Halloween, baseball had reached where it had not gone before: November. At midnight, Derek Jeter hit Kim’s pitch over the short porch in right field for a walk-off homerun. Jeter became known as “Mr. November” for that clutch hit. With the series tied at 2, game 5 also took place at Yankee Stadium. The Yankees found themselves down by 2 runs again heading into the 9th inning. With Jorge Posada on base, Scott Brosius hit a deep fly ball off Kim over the left field fence for a game-tying homerun. Alfonso Soriano, the Yankees’ 2nd baseman at the time, drove in Chuck Knoblauch for the game-winning run. Knoblauch pinch ran for designated hitter David Justice earlier in the game. Although the Yankees lost the World Series in 7 games to Arizona, the heroics by Tino, Jeter, and Brosius will live in history.
1. October 8, 1956 (Don Larsen’s Perfect Game)
In game 5 of the 1956 World Series between the Yankees and the Brooklyn Dodgers, Don Larsen took the mound. Previously in the series, Larsen allowed 4 runs in 2 innings. Even Larsen was surprised that he would be pitching the critical game. Larsen had a perfect game going through the first 3 innings, and it would be like that for the next 3, and the next 2. Larsen went into the 9th inning, facing the minimum 24 batters. Larsen was just 1 batter away from the first no-hitter in postseason history, let alone World Series history. Dale Mitchell was the batter for Brooklyn who was the last to face Larsen in game 5. Larsen threw a 1-2 pitch on the outside part of the plate for strike 3. Catcher Yogi Berra leaped into Larsen’s arms in celebration. Larsen threw a mere 97 pitches in his effort. Larsen’s perfect game earned him the World Series MVP award for the 1956 World Series. The crowd of over 64,000 cheered as the Yankees celebrated perfection. The Yankees won the World Series in 7 games, but Larsen’s perfect game is the highlight of it.
Saturday, September 13, 2008
Brady out, Cassel in
The New England Patriots entered the 2008 campaign as a strong contender to win the Super Bowl after their devastating loss to the Giants in Super Bowl XLII. However, after a week 1 win over the Kansas City Chiefs, experts, analysts, and fans rethought their Patriot predictions.
Chiefs’ safety Bernard Pollard tackled Tom Brady early in the 1st quarter and Brady was seriously hurt as he did not get up immediately. He had to be helped off the field with the trainer and left the game. The Boston Globe reported that Brady had a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee. Brady’s injury requires surgery and he will miss the entire 2008 season. Now it is time for backup quarterback Matt Cassel to step in.
Cassel was a 7th round draft pick in the 2005 NFL draft from the University of Southern California. Cassel is not as polished as Brady, nor is he as experienced as Brady. His college football career consisted of a mere 33 pass attempts. He sat behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, both current NFL quarterbacks. He has not started a game since the year 2000, when he was a senior in high school. Brady was a starting quarterback for the University of Michigan in 1998 and 1999 when he started all 25 games in that span. Brady was a starter for his high school varsity team as well. In Cassel’s NFL career, he has played scarcely. He has only played in 15 games in his 4 seasons with the Patriots and only has 57 career pass attempts.
Many fans and analysts say that Cassel will do a satisfactory job, but there is room for doubt. Analysts say that because of the receiving bunch the Patriots have with Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Jabar Gaffney, Cassel will do fine. But, there is statistical evidence that proves a skilled quarterback makes a proficient wide receiver. Randy Moss is a fine example of this. When Moss played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1998 to 2004, Daunte Culpepper was the quarterback. With Culpepper at quarterback, Moss had 9,142 receiving yards and 90 touchdowns. Culpepper was an exceptional quarterback in those seven years. However, when Randy Moss was with the Oakland Raiders from 2005 to 2006, Moss had a total of 1558 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. The Oakland quarterbacks in those two seasons: Kerry Collins, Andrew Walter, Aaron Brooks, and Marques Tuiasosopo; none of whom have close the skill level that Culpepper had. Than in 2007 when Moss played with Brady, they accumulated record-setting, single-season numbers with 1493 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns. Now with Cassel at the helm, it seems very unlikely the receiving team will succeed and do as well as they did last season.
Cassel replacing Brady also proposes this question: Where do the Patriots go from here? The Patriot defense did lose Asante Samuel and Randall Gay, who combined for 9 interceptions last season. Teams with pass-heavy offenses, such as the Colts, Rams, and Cardinals, can take advantage of the weak secondary. Their defense is still aging significantly as Richard Seymour, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Lewis Sanders, and Rodney Harrison are all old for NFL standards.
On the offense, the Patriots’ running game is weak compared to other NFL teams. Laurence Maroney, LaMont Jordan, Kevin Faulk, and Sammy Morris are not up to par with most NFL starters on today’s game. The offensive line is also getting old and weaker. Matt Cassel was sacked twice in the week 1 matchup against the Chiefs due to the poor job by the offensive line. The Chiefs have a subpar defensive line and teams with strong defensive lines like the Bills, Colts, Jets, and Titans can take advantage of the shaky offensive line of the Patriots. On the other hand, the Patriots have one of the easiest schedules in the entire NFL and that should be a relief for the New England faithful.
Now that has been said, the Patriots’ season could go in different directions. It is critical that they start off well in the next few games with the departure of Tom Brady because Cassel's confidence will be rattled if he begins to struggle. If Cassel handles the pressure well than the best-case scenario is that the Patriots maintain to win the AFC East and have somewhere between 10 and 13 wins without Brady. That would be more than remarkable for a season for a backup quarterback. The worst-case scenario is Cassel flops and the Patriots finish the season with a sub-.500 record. What can be expected? Losing Brady is colossal, especially since he was the league’s most valuable player last season. The chances of going undefeated again are slim-to-none. What will happen is up in the air, but one thing is for sure, and that is the road to the playoffs will no longer be a cake walk for the Patriots without Brady.
Chiefs’ safety Bernard Pollard tackled Tom Brady early in the 1st quarter and Brady was seriously hurt as he did not get up immediately. He had to be helped off the field with the trainer and left the game. The Boston Globe reported that Brady had a torn ACL and MCL in his left knee. Brady’s injury requires surgery and he will miss the entire 2008 season. Now it is time for backup quarterback Matt Cassel to step in.
Cassel was a 7th round draft pick in the 2005 NFL draft from the University of Southern California. Cassel is not as polished as Brady, nor is he as experienced as Brady. His college football career consisted of a mere 33 pass attempts. He sat behind Carson Palmer and Matt Leinart, both current NFL quarterbacks. He has not started a game since the year 2000, when he was a senior in high school. Brady was a starting quarterback for the University of Michigan in 1998 and 1999 when he started all 25 games in that span. Brady was a starter for his high school varsity team as well. In Cassel’s NFL career, he has played scarcely. He has only played in 15 games in his 4 seasons with the Patriots and only has 57 career pass attempts.
Many fans and analysts say that Cassel will do a satisfactory job, but there is room for doubt. Analysts say that because of the receiving bunch the Patriots have with Randy Moss, Wes Welker, and Jabar Gaffney, Cassel will do fine. But, there is statistical evidence that proves a skilled quarterback makes a proficient wide receiver. Randy Moss is a fine example of this. When Moss played for the Minnesota Vikings from 1998 to 2004, Daunte Culpepper was the quarterback. With Culpepper at quarterback, Moss had 9,142 receiving yards and 90 touchdowns. Culpepper was an exceptional quarterback in those seven years. However, when Randy Moss was with the Oakland Raiders from 2005 to 2006, Moss had a total of 1558 receiving yards and 11 touchdowns. The Oakland quarterbacks in those two seasons: Kerry Collins, Andrew Walter, Aaron Brooks, and Marques Tuiasosopo; none of whom have close the skill level that Culpepper had. Than in 2007 when Moss played with Brady, they accumulated record-setting, single-season numbers with 1493 receiving yards and 23 touchdowns. Now with Cassel at the helm, it seems very unlikely the receiving team will succeed and do as well as they did last season.
Cassel replacing Brady also proposes this question: Where do the Patriots go from here? The Patriot defense did lose Asante Samuel and Randall Gay, who combined for 9 interceptions last season. Teams with pass-heavy offenses, such as the Colts, Rams, and Cardinals, can take advantage of the weak secondary. Their defense is still aging significantly as Richard Seymour, Tedy Bruschi, Mike Vrabel, Lewis Sanders, and Rodney Harrison are all old for NFL standards.
On the offense, the Patriots’ running game is weak compared to other NFL teams. Laurence Maroney, LaMont Jordan, Kevin Faulk, and Sammy Morris are not up to par with most NFL starters on today’s game. The offensive line is also getting old and weaker. Matt Cassel was sacked twice in the week 1 matchup against the Chiefs due to the poor job by the offensive line. The Chiefs have a subpar defensive line and teams with strong defensive lines like the Bills, Colts, Jets, and Titans can take advantage of the shaky offensive line of the Patriots. On the other hand, the Patriots have one of the easiest schedules in the entire NFL and that should be a relief for the New England faithful.
Now that has been said, the Patriots’ season could go in different directions. It is critical that they start off well in the next few games with the departure of Tom Brady because Cassel's confidence will be rattled if he begins to struggle. If Cassel handles the pressure well than the best-case scenario is that the Patriots maintain to win the AFC East and have somewhere between 10 and 13 wins without Brady. That would be more than remarkable for a season for a backup quarterback. The worst-case scenario is Cassel flops and the Patriots finish the season with a sub-.500 record. What can be expected? Losing Brady is colossal, especially since he was the league’s most valuable player last season. The chances of going undefeated again are slim-to-none. What will happen is up in the air, but one thing is for sure, and that is the road to the playoffs will no longer be a cake walk for the Patriots without Brady.
Sunday, September 7, 2008
New York Jets vs Miami Dolhpins week 1
The first game of the New York Jets’ regular season resulted in a 20-14 victory over the rival Miami Dolphins.
The Jets scored first on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Brett Favre to Jerricho Cotchery on a play action fake. Kicker Mike Nugent missed a 32 yard field goal wide right. Nugent later left the game temporarily with a thigh injury.
In the second quarter, former Jet Chad Pennington led the Dolphins to a 78 yard drive, tying the game with a touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano. The Jets responded with a long drive, but on a 4th and 13 from the Dolphin 22, the Jets did not go with the field goal unit and decided to go for it. Favre broke out of a few tackles and than lobbed the ball to Chansi Stuckey for a sensational 22 yard touchdown. With Nugent hurt, the Jets decided to go for the 2-point conversion. The Jets did not convert and the score was 13-7 going into the half.
In the 3rd quarter, a Brett Favre fumble was a miscue that could have resulted in points for the Jets. The Dolphins failed to capitalize on the blunder and punted it away. On the ensuing drive, the Jets scored a touchdown on a 6-yard run by Thomas Jones. Compared to last season, Jones’ first touchdown came 12 weeks earlier as last season his only rushing touchdown came in week 13, against the Miami Dolphins.
In the 4th quarter, Chad Pennington led the Dolphins to another touchdown drive on an 11 yard pass from Pennington to David Martin. The Jets were close to sealing the game but a penalty on Damien Woody forced the Jets to punt the ball away with 1:56 left. Chad Pennington was 5/7 with 48 yards on the final drive, but a 3rd and 10 from the Jet 18 was intercepted on a breathtaking play by Darrelle Revis as he was held on the play. The Jets downed it to finally wrap up the game.
Brett Favre’s Jet debut was successful with a victory. He went 15/22 with 194 yards passing and 2 touchdowns. Former Jet QB Chad Pennington outmatched Favre as he was 26/43 with 251 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, but the 1 interception. The Jets’ run defense was solid, holding Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown to 47 yards. There were 2 big plays by Miami that would have led to more yards rushing, but they were both called back on tripping and holding penalties. Chansi Stuckey missed his rookie season in 2007 with a foot injury, but his NFL debut resulted with 2 big receptions including a touchdown. Newly acquired linebacker Calvin Pace had 5 tackles and a sack. Teammate Bryan Thomas had 2 sacks and Shaun Ellis also had a sack. Rookie cornerback Dwight Lowery from San Jose State University was superb. He had 3 tackles and also deflected 3 passes, all of which had a great importance.
One thing to worry about for the Jets is the health of kicker Mike Nugent. If his injury is severe than punter Ben Graham would have to be the kicker as well as the punter. Nugent has not been great as his field goal percentage last season was 80.6%, which ranked 22nd in the entire NFL last season.
Laveranues Coles only had 1 catch of 5 yards, and that was the first play from scrimmage for the Jets in the 1st quarter. Tight ends Chris Baker and Bubba Franks combined for 4 receptions for 53 yards. Rookie tight end Dustin Keller from Purdue had a few receptions but were all called back due to penalties.
The Jets will face the 1-0 New England Patriots next week at the Meadowlands. The Patriots won 17-10 against the Chiefs despite losing Tom Brady in the 1st quarter. The Pats held off a late comeback drive by the Chiefs. The Patriots were 2-0 against the Jets last season, winning by scores of 38-14 in week 1 and 20-10 in week 15.
The Jets scored first on a 56-yard touchdown pass from Brett Favre to Jerricho Cotchery on a play action fake. Kicker Mike Nugent missed a 32 yard field goal wide right. Nugent later left the game temporarily with a thigh injury.
In the second quarter, former Jet Chad Pennington led the Dolphins to a 78 yard drive, tying the game with a touchdown pass to tight end Anthony Fasano. The Jets responded with a long drive, but on a 4th and 13 from the Dolphin 22, the Jets did not go with the field goal unit and decided to go for it. Favre broke out of a few tackles and than lobbed the ball to Chansi Stuckey for a sensational 22 yard touchdown. With Nugent hurt, the Jets decided to go for the 2-point conversion. The Jets did not convert and the score was 13-7 going into the half.
In the 3rd quarter, a Brett Favre fumble was a miscue that could have resulted in points for the Jets. The Dolphins failed to capitalize on the blunder and punted it away. On the ensuing drive, the Jets scored a touchdown on a 6-yard run by Thomas Jones. Compared to last season, Jones’ first touchdown came 12 weeks earlier as last season his only rushing touchdown came in week 13, against the Miami Dolphins.
In the 4th quarter, Chad Pennington led the Dolphins to another touchdown drive on an 11 yard pass from Pennington to David Martin. The Jets were close to sealing the game but a penalty on Damien Woody forced the Jets to punt the ball away with 1:56 left. Chad Pennington was 5/7 with 48 yards on the final drive, but a 3rd and 10 from the Jet 18 was intercepted on a breathtaking play by Darrelle Revis as he was held on the play. The Jets downed it to finally wrap up the game.
Brett Favre’s Jet debut was successful with a victory. He went 15/22 with 194 yards passing and 2 touchdowns. Former Jet QB Chad Pennington outmatched Favre as he was 26/43 with 251 passing yards and 2 touchdowns, but the 1 interception. The Jets’ run defense was solid, holding Ricky Williams and Ronnie Brown to 47 yards. There were 2 big plays by Miami that would have led to more yards rushing, but they were both called back on tripping and holding penalties. Chansi Stuckey missed his rookie season in 2007 with a foot injury, but his NFL debut resulted with 2 big receptions including a touchdown. Newly acquired linebacker Calvin Pace had 5 tackles and a sack. Teammate Bryan Thomas had 2 sacks and Shaun Ellis also had a sack. Rookie cornerback Dwight Lowery from San Jose State University was superb. He had 3 tackles and also deflected 3 passes, all of which had a great importance.
One thing to worry about for the Jets is the health of kicker Mike Nugent. If his injury is severe than punter Ben Graham would have to be the kicker as well as the punter. Nugent has not been great as his field goal percentage last season was 80.6%, which ranked 22nd in the entire NFL last season.
Laveranues Coles only had 1 catch of 5 yards, and that was the first play from scrimmage for the Jets in the 1st quarter. Tight ends Chris Baker and Bubba Franks combined for 4 receptions for 53 yards. Rookie tight end Dustin Keller from Purdue had a few receptions but were all called back due to penalties.
The Jets will face the 1-0 New England Patriots next week at the Meadowlands. The Patriots won 17-10 against the Chiefs despite losing Tom Brady in the 1st quarter. The Pats held off a late comeback drive by the Chiefs. The Patriots were 2-0 against the Jets last season, winning by scores of 38-14 in week 1 and 20-10 in week 15.
Wednesday, September 3, 2008
Intro
Here's my first blog post. Feel free to comment on them and post your opinions.
By the way, I'm Matt and will be posting mostly about sports.
By the way, I'm Matt and will be posting mostly about sports.
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