Last Sunday the New York Jets and the New York Giants took losses. While the Pittsburgh Steelers snatched the Eagles out of the air as the undefeated. Former Minnesota Vikings head coach, now head coach of the Arizona Cardinals Dennis Green, won the 100th game of his career and as a head coach in the NFL.
The New York Jets knew going to Buffalo to play the Buffalo Bills on their home turf would not be an easy game or task. It turned out to be both. Not easy—and loss of number two for Herman Edwards and crew. Buffalo defeated the Jets 22-17. The Jets simply ran out of time outs and time and now are 6-2 and once again trailing the New England Patriots who improved to 7-1 and rebounded from their loss last week to the Pittsburgh Steelers.
Speaking of the Pittsburgh Steelers, they ran rough shod over the Philadelphia Eagles last Sunday like they did the New England Patriots the week before. And with the same results — a Steelers’ win – which knocked the Eagles from the unbeaten ranks. Making it two weeks in a row that the Steelers beat an undefeated team. Leaving the NFL now with no undefeated teams.
Talking about defeated. The Chicago Bears looked all but done in the closing minutes of the first half of their game against the New York Giants. The Giants jumped out to a quick 14-0 lead. So quick and sudden, the Bears defensive end, Alex Brown, remarked that he and his teammates wondered how this could happen.
But once again, the Giants marched down the field. Once again the Giants had the game and the score at 14-0 in their favor and the pulse of the game and victory in their hands and grasp. And once again a team they were supposed to beat… beat them soundly. The Chicago Bears sporting a 3-5 record beat the New York Giants. And beat them at the New Jersey Meadowlands Sunday, 28-21. The Bears’ defense just shut down the Giants in the second half. They sacked Giants quarterback Kurt Warner, seven times and forced him into throwing two interceptions. He was also hurried and hit 15 times.
Last Sunday the New York Jets and the New York Giants took losses. While the Pittsburgh Steelers snatched the Eagles out of the air as the undefeated. Former Minnesota Vikings head coach, now head coach of the Arizona Cardinals Dennis Green, won the 100th game of his career and as a head coach in the NFL. Lovie Smith, head coach of the Chicago Bears and (also another African American head coach) spoke glowingly about his team’s victory. He saw their superb defensive play as: “A great defensive effort.â€? These were his words of praise about their 28-21 victory. Smith praised Brown: “Alex (Brown) was great for us today,” Smith said of the play of his defensive end. Brown, like all defenses that invade the Meadowlands to play the New York Giants, said the key was to stop Giants great running back Tiki Barber. Adding that coming back down 0-14 and winning also made it a special game. Bears safety, Mike Green, said in the winning locker
room that a lot of the negative press his team has been getting has only been an aid to bring them together as a unit and team while fueling their desire to improve and win. Statements such as calling us the ‘worst’ team in the NFL only spurred us on to victory,” said Green. “The Bears are a good team. Ask the Giants.â€?
Other Notable News: What is the big hassle and constant deal with the WFAN sportscasters jumping all over the Mets hiring of Willie Randolph as the Mets new manager? Jaime Harris, noted sports scribe of the Amsterdam News, told the good ‘doctha’ he thought the interview they conducted with Mets GM and Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Omar Minaya, was degrading. Harris added: “Minaya knows full well what he is doing and showed his class and character in talking to people who have no clue on what should and shouldn’t be done in running a baseball team.â€? Harris became irate while listening to a caller who called in suggesting that it was only due to Minaya’s race that he hired another minority such as himself. This caller suggested Randolph was hired only because they were both African Americans. He added that the FAN sportscasters, for two weeks tried to build a negative foundation to deter the Mets and Minaya from hiring Randolph.
It seems, according to this caller, that the fact Randolph played 18 years in the majors, played the sixth most games, played at second base in baseball history and turned the third most double plays in baseball history had nothing to do with his being creditable for the job. Nor was the fact Randolph has just spent the past 11 years as a member of the famed New York Yankees coaching staff. Apparently, neither was the fact Randolph was a player on two world championship teams as well as the keystone at second base. Add too, he was an 8 time All-Star; won four championships as a coach and was also an Asst. General Manager just doesn’t seem to mean anything? Yet White managers pick white coaches all the time and no callers call in suggesting they pick them due to the fact they were of the same race. Double standards, huh!
No one was or is more deserving or qualified than Randolph. It seems sometimes people get color mixed up with character. Right Jamie? Sadly enough in our world and the world of sports it happens too often…way too often.
THIS SATURDAY, Nov.13th Don King has the big boys swinging at each other at the famed “Temple of Boxing,” Madison Square Garden. Evander Holyfield, John Ruiz, Chris Byrd, Andrew Golata et al., bring New York its’ second major fight card in back-to-back months. I’ll be ringside and will bring you all the uppercuts jabs, body shots and knockouts right here next week in the Black Star News. King is still smarting from his last promotion. Feeling HBO short changed him on promotion. He felt they didn’t do enough to push the comeback of Felix “Tito” Trinidad. King. For those of you who don’t know, King was the man that put HBO on the map, boxing wise. He once told me that HBO at the time he first entered the picture didn’t have but a small an office that housed and serviced boxing. Hey Howie Evans where are you?
Late birthday greetings to Deminee’ Stanley, my daughter. She shares her birthday with the great Larry Holmes. Holmes held the heavyweight title longer than any heavyweight ever with the exception of Joseph Louis Barrows. Better know as simply Joe Louis aka the “Brown Bomber” who was heavyweight champion of the world from 1937-1949. Holmes had a run of seven plus years. And like Louis, had one of the squared circles greatest jabs. Larry and Deminee’ celebrate on Nov. 3rd. When I told Larry he shared the same birthday as my daughter (who at one time used to exchange birthday cards with Holmes) Larry said on Nov. 3 each year, she has an open invitation to come dinner and drinks at his Easton, Pa. restaurant. Class seems to come with a heavyweight championship, especially with guys who worked with the greatest of them all, Muhammad Ali. Holmes was Ali’s sparring partner before he became champ. Bobby Miles, et al will bring boxing back to the famed and legendary Apollo Theater this coming Thursday Nov. 11th.
NEW YORK KNICKS and New Jersey Nets both lost their home openers. The Knicks loss was the worst opening game loss in club history. But a loss is loss. Nobody is trying to lose. How smart can those fans be who booed players who were just having a bad game? Barry Bonds won his 12th Silver Slugger Award.
No surprise here! Bonds, is the greatest all around leftfielder and player in baseball history of this generation. His Godfather, Willie Mays is the greatest player of all time.
Congrats to New York Yankees captain and super player and person, Derek Jeter. DJ just copped his first gold glove. His close friend and teammate, Alex Rodriguez (A-Rod) is expecting to become a new daddy any day now. Another Rodriguez and former teammate of A-Rod’s, Ivan Rodriguez,”I-Rod” or ‘Pudge’ (two of his nicknames), just won his 11th golden glove as a catcher. With that, he surpasses the record of 10 he shared with the legendary Johnny Bench of the Cincinnati Reds. “As rumor would have it and as Tim Smedly would say, “Yankee great and legend, Don Mattingly may be leaving the Bronx.â€? Stay tuned.
TrustInGOD
